


Till Death Do Us Part: Supernatural S2 (Sam x OC x Dean)

by roseM0719



Series: Party of Three [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angels, Demons, F/F, F/M, Hybrids, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyandry, Romance, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Supernatural season 2, Vampires, Werewolves, coven - Freeform, profound bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:20:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 183,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24839824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseM0719/pseuds/roseM0719
Summary: Death holds his hand out to her. She didn't want to go with him. She wants to stay with the ones she loves. She looks back one more time before taking Death's hand, letting her rest... Well... that didn't last long.(follows the events of season 2)[This story contains polyamory relationships and same sex relationships]*This work is also posted on my tumblr, fanfiction.net and quotev account.*
Relationships: Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s), OC/OC(s), Sam Winchester/Original Female Character(s), Sam/OC/Dean
Series: Party of Three [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652092
Comments: 7
Kudos: 29





	1. In My Time of Dying Pt.1

**_Previously on Supernatural…_ **

_John looks over, "I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything."_

_Sam looks in the rear view mirror at Dean and Isabeau, "No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we've still got the Colt. We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, alright? I mean, we already found the demon-"_

_An eighteen wheeler suddenly slams into the passenger side of the impala at full speed, driving it sideways in front of it._

_The driver of the semi is sitting behind the wheel and his eyes are black._

_Isabeau, Dean, Sam, and John are all unconscious in the car; blood all over them._

_And out of all of them, Death was reaching his hand out to Isabeau._

* * *

The demon possessing a truck driver steps out of his truck and walks over. John, Isabeau and Dean, are all unconscious. Sam, who swallows, is barely awake.

The demon pulls the driver's side door off its hinges to reveal Sam pointing the Colt at him, "Get back or I'll kill you. I swear to god."

"You won't." The demon says, "You're saving that bullet for someone else."

Sam cocks the Colt, "You wanna bet?"

The demon smiles and the black demon-ichor pours out of the man, who collapses. Sam uncocks the gun, drops his head back in relief.

"Oh my god!" The truck driver exclaims.

"Dad?" Sam groans.

"Did I do this?" The truck driver asks himself in fear.

"Dad... Dean? Isabeau!" Sam shouts.

* * *

A rescue helicopter descends to the site, and all four are being loaded onto stretchers. Joh, Isabeau and Dean are still unconscious, Sam is awake.

"Significant passengers-space intrusion. Unresponsive. B.P. is 180 over 60, heartbeat 95, 95." The paramedic screams.

"Tell me if they're okay!" Sam shouts at the paramedics.

"You have to stay still!" One of the paramedics demands.

"Are they even alive?!"

* * *

In a hospital room, Dean sits up, works his jaw, and gets out of bed. He is wearing a white t-shirt, blue hospital pants, and nothing else.

He walks into the hallway, "Sam? Isabeau? Dad? Anybody?"

Dean goes down the stairs to the front of the hospital and finds a nurse's station, "Excuse me. Hi. I, uh, I think I was in a car accident, my dad, my brother and my girlfriend, I just need to find them."

The nurse is unresponsive.

"Hello?" He asks and snaps his fingers in her face.

He goes back upstairs, panicked, heading back to the room he woke up in. Dean freezes when he sees his own body on the bed, intubated and dying.

Dean walks closer, shocked at seeing his unconscious body.

* * *

Dean turns as Sam enters. Sam stops at the door and stares at his brother's body, breathing heavily.

Dean smiles, relieved, "Sammy! You look good... Considering."

Sam's lip trembles, "Oh, no."

Dean's face falls as he realizes that Sam didn't answer him, "Man, tell me you can hear me."

Sam looks down at Dean's body, tears welling up.

"How's dad? Is he okay? Come on, you're the psychic. Give me some ghost whispering or something!" Dean asks.

His eyes widened, "Beau! What about, Isabeau?! Please tell me she's okay!"

The doctor enters, "Your father's awake." Sam turns to him. "You can go see him if you like."

"Oh, thank god." Dean says relieved.

Sam glances down at Dean, "Doc, what about my brother?"

"Well, he sustained serious injury; blood loss, contusions to his liver and kidney. But it's the head trauma I'm worried about. There's early signs of cerebral edema." The doctor explains.

"Well, what can we do?" Sam asks.

"Well, we won't know his full condition until he wakes up. If he wakes up."

"If?" Sam asks, not believing what he heard.

The doctor nods, "I have to be honest."

Dean overlaps him, "Oh, screw you, Doc, I'm waking up."

"Most people with this degree of injury wouldn't have survived this long. He's fighting very hard. But you need to have realistic expectations, son." The doctor says.

Dean looks over at Sam, "Come on, Sam. Go find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on me. I'll be fine. Sam?"

Sam doesn't answer any of Dean's words, close to tears.

"What about…" Sam says shakily, "What about, Isabeau?"

The doctor sighs, "She's still in surgery."

Dean looks at the doctor in shock, "Surgery?"

"Her vital organs were severely damaged and she's bleeding internally. They're working their hardest to make sure she comes out alive. But, I will warn you."

Sam stares at him, waiting.

The doctor gestures his head towards Dean, "She's been touch and go. She's fighting, but if she comes out of surgery, it's more than likely she'll be in the same position your brother is in. Isabeau might not wake up."

* * *

John is lying in a hospital bed, his arm in a sling. Awkwardly one-handed, he pulls something out of his wallet, "All right. Here. Give them my insurance."

Sam takes the card John gives him, smiling as he reads it, "Elroy McGillicutty?" Sam takes a seat across from John.

John smiles, "And his two loving sons. So... what else did the doctor say about Dean and Isabeau?"

Sam shook his head, "Nothing. Look. The doctors won't do anything, then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him…"

Sam clears his throat, blinking away a few tears, "They don't even know if Isabeau is going to come out of surgery."

John stares as his son sadly, "We'll look for someone."

Sam doesn't look at him, "Yeah."

"But Sam, I don't know if we're gonna find anyone." John says.

Sam shakes his head, "Why not? I found that faith healer before."

"All right, that was, that was one in a million."

"So what? Do we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?" Sam asks sarcastically.

John shakes his head, "No, I said we'd look. All right? I'll check under every stone." He sighs, "Where's the Colt?"

Sam looks at him in disbelief, "Your son is dying... Isabeau is possibly dying, and you're worried about the Colt?"

"We're hunting this demon, and maybe it's hunting us too. That gun may be our only card." John tells him.

"It's in the trunk. They dragged the car to a yard off of I-83." Sam says.

John nods, "All right. You've gotta clean out that trunk before some junk man sees what's inside."

"I already called Bobby. He's like an hour out, he's gonna tow the Impala back to his place."

"All right. You, you go meet up with Bobby. You get that Colt, and you bring it back to me. And you watch out for hospital security."

Sam smiles, "I think I've got it covered." He gets up to leave, but John stops him.

"Hey." John picks up a sheet of paper, "Here. I made a list of things I need, have Bobby pick them up for me."

Sam takes the paper and reads it, "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?"

"Protection."

Sam goes to leave again, but stops, "Hey, Dad? You know, the demon, he said he had plans for me, and children like me. Do you have any idea what he meant by that?"

John shakes his head, "No, I don't."

"Well, you sure know something." Dean says from the corner of the room, watching the entire conversation between his brother and father.

Just as Sam turns to leave once again, the doctor from earlier comes to the doorway. Sam and John stare at him. The doctor looks between the two of them, "Isabeau is out of surgery."

Dean pushes off from the wall, breathing deeply.

Sam's breath hitches, "Is she okay?"

The doctor purses his lips, "If you would come with me."

* * *

Sam and Dean stare down at Isabeau's unconscious form. She was hooked up to multiple machines with a tube down her throat to help her breathe, and her face was bruised and had cuts that were patched up.

"At this point all we can do is make her comfortable." The doctor tells Sam.

Dean walks over to the other side of Isabeau's bed and kneels down next to her, tears in his eyes, "Beau…" He whispers.

Sam sniffles, wiping away some tears, "There's nothing you can do?"

The doctor shakes his head, "Her injuries are severe. I'm surprised she made it out of the surgery. But… I have to be realistic with you."

Sam looks over at him, "What?"

The doctor sighs, "With how damaged she is, we've estimated that she doesn't have long. A few days… a week at the most. We've contacted her parents, they'll be here within a day."

Sam looks back down at Isabeau and the doctor walks away, leaving them.

When the doctor is gone, Sam pulls up a chair and sits as close as he can to her and takes her hand, squeezing it tight. He didn't say anything, letting the tears fall freely.

Dean stares at Isabeau's face, as if at any moment, Isabeau would wake up and say it was all fake. That she wasn't dying.

"I guess this time…"

Dean turns, and eyes widen when he sees Isabeau's friend and assigned reaper, Rebecca standing there, tears in her own eyes.

Dean stands up and walks over, "Rebecca?"

Rebecca looks up at him and smiles sadly, "I guess this time it's real."

Dean shakes his head, glancing back at Isabeau, "No… it can't be her time. Not yet!" He shouts near the end.

Rebecca slightly flinches, "I'm not here for her now, Dean. I'm just observing… waiting and hoping that I don't have to reap her."

Dean relaxes a little and then furrows his brow, "Is Isabeau walking around here? Like me?"

Rebecca shakes her head, "No, she's… fighting with her own body. She's fighting to stay alive for you and Sam, for her coven, and for her family."

Dean looks back at Isabeau, "Is she winning?"

When he doesn't hear an answer, he turns back around and Rebecca is nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Sam looks down at the mangled car that was at the junkyard and Bobby is there as well. Sam sighs, "Oh man, Dean is gonna be pissed."

The two glance at each other. "Look, Sam. This... this just ain't worth a tow." Bobby opens the hood and grimaces, slamming it shut, "I say we empty the trunk, sell the rest for scrap."

Sam pulls out his broken laptop from the wreckage and scoffs, "No. Dean would kill me if we did that. When he gets better he's gonna want to fix this."

Bobby sighs, "There's nothing to fix. The frame's a pretzel, and the engine's ruined. There's barely any parts worth salvaging."

"Listen to me, Bobby. If there's only one working part, that's enough. We're not just going to give up on…" Sam trails off.

Bobby nods, "Okay. You got it." Bobby swallows, "How's Izzy doin'?"

Sam looks up at him sadly, "Not good Bobby. They say she doesn't have long."

Bobby looks away for a brief moment, taking a deep breath, "She'll make it. No matter what they say, she'll make it. That girl has been to hell and back. She's not going down without a fight."

Sam smiles sadly at Bobby. Even though Bobby wasn't Isabeau's biological grandfather, he treated her like she was his own.

Sam pulls out the list John gave him, "Here, uh, Dad asked for you to get this stuff for him."

Sam hands over the list and Bobby looks at it, frowning, "What's John want with this?"

"Protection from the demon."

Bobby gives him a look.

Sam looks at him confused, "What?"

Bobby shakes his head, "Oh, nothing, it's just, uh…"

"Bobby? What's going on?"

* * *

John is sitting by Dean's bed as Dean stands nearby. "Come on, Dad. You've gotta help me. Help Isabeau. We've gotta get better, we've gotta get back in there. I mean, you haven't called a soul for help. You haven't even tried. Aren't you going to do anything? Aren't you even going to say anything?"

Dean walks around the other side of the bed, "I've done everything you have ever asked me. Everything. I have given everything I've ever had. And you're just going to sit there and you're going to watch me die? I mean, what the hell kind of father are you?"

Dean clenches his jaw, "You're gonna let love of mine and Sam's life die! You wanted us to be happy, so save her! Isabeau needs to live." Dean's voice breaks.

He pauses, hearing a rumbling noise outside the room, "What is that?"

Dean goes into the hallway, a spirit whooshes past him and he jumps back. He glances back at John who didn't react to any of what just happened, "I take it you didn't see that."

Dean stalks the spirit down the hallways as the rumbling continues. The spirit flies into a room behind him and he goes into the room where a woman is lying on the floor, choking.

"Help! Help!" The woman gasps out.

"Hey! I need some help in here!" Dean screams out, but nobody can hear

"I can't... breathe!" She pants loudly, trying desperately to breathe, then goes silent. Dean, leaning over her, looks on helplessly.

* * *

Sam stalks into John's room with a duffel bag and Dean meets him at the door and starts trying to talk to him. "Sammy! Tell me you can friggin' hear me, man, there's something in the hospital. Now, you've got to bring me and Isabeau back and we've got to hunt this thing. Sam!"

John glances over at Sam, "You're quiet."

Sam turns, fuming, and hurls the bag onto the bed with a crash, "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"What are you talking about?" John asks.

"That stuff from Bobby, you don't use it to ward off a demon, you use it to summon one. You're planning on bringing the demon here, aren't you? Having some stupid macho showdown?!" Sam shouts.

John sighs, "I have a plan, Sam."

"That's exactly my point! Dean and Isabeau are dying, and you have a plan! You know what, you care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own son and the love of our lives!" Sam shouts at John.

"No, no, no, guys, don't do this!" Dean begs. No one can hear him.

"Do not tell me how I feel! I am doing this for Dean and Isabeau." John shouts back. Dean looks down at his father.

"How? How is revenge going to help them? You're not thinking about anybody but yourself, it's the same selfish obsession!" Sam shouts.

Dean rubs his face, "Come on guys, don't do this!"

"You know, it's funny, I thought it was your obsession too! This demon killed your mother, killed Jessica and is after Isabeau. You begged me to be part of this hunt. Now if you'd killed that damn thing when you had the chance, none of this would have happened." John points at Sam.

Sam moves closer to his father, "It was possessing you, Dad, I would have killed you too!"

John nods, "Yeah, and your brother and Isabeau would be awake right now."

"Shut up, both of you!" Dean says.

Sam nods, "Go to hell."

"I should have never taken you along in the first place. I knew it was a mistake, I knew I was wrong-"

"I said SHUT UP!" Dean smacks a glass of water off the table and it goes flying, crashing to the floor. Sam and John look at each other, confused.

Dean's stunned, "Dude, I full-on Swayzed that mother." Dean crumples in pain, flickering. Nurses and doctors start running by in the hallway. "What is it?" Dean asks aloud.

"Something's going on out there." John says and he jerks his head indicating 'go find out' to Sam.

* * *

In Dean's room, monitors are beeping, a doctor and some nurses are surrounding Dean, resuscitating him.

"All clear." The doctor says.

Sam huddles in the doorway, with tears in his eyes, "No."

"Still no pulse." One of the nurses says.

"Okay, let's go again, 360." The doctor says.

"Charging.

Sam continues watching in the doorway, crying and fidgeting. Dean comes up slowly behind him he sees a ghostly figure floating over the body lying in the bed. "You get the hell away from me. Stay back!"

He runs to the bed and faces the thing down, yelling, "I said get back!"

Sam blinks, looks confused, as if he's heard something.

"He said stay back!" A woman's voice screams. Sam looks around again.

Dean looks over in shock, "Isabeau…"

Isabeau stands in the doorway, dressed in the same clothing Dean is in and is glaring at the spirit above Dean's body, "It's not his time!"

Isabeau grabs for the spirit and she latches on momentarily before it hurls her in the wall back and then soars out of the room. The monitors slow, quiet.

"We have a pulse. We're back into sinus rhythm." One of the nurses says.

Isabeau runs into the hallway, looking for the spirit, but it's vanished. Dean runs out into the hallway and stops right behind her, "Isabeau?"

Isabeau turns around and smiles softly, "Heya, Dean."

With tears in his eyes, he pulls her into his arms and places his lips on hers. Isabeau hums, grabbing Dean's face, keeping their lips locked.

Isabeau pants when they pull apart, "Dean I have to go."

Dean looks at her in confusion, "What? Why? You're here, we can figure this out together."

Isabeau shakes her head, "Dean, I gotta get back to my body and keep on fighting. I'm trying to stay alive and the more I'm away from myself, the less of a chance I have of waking up."

The two stare at each other and Isabeau huffs, smiling with tears in her eyes, "I love you and I love Sam. If I don't make it-"

"You're going to make it!"

Isabeau bites her lip, "If I don't make it…" She repeats herself, "Keep on going and kill that demon. Have a life and always remember that I love you both." She pulls him in for one last kiss, both of them closing their eyes as if to make the moment last longer. Dean holds onto the back of her head, keeping her close.

After a few moments, Dean opens his eyes and where Isabeau once stood is now an empty space.

He lets out a shaky breath, wiping away his tears. He was gonna fight to stay alive, just like Isabeau.

* * *

Sam sighs in relief and backs into the hallway, watching Dean's room from there. Dean comes back, stands by him, "Don't worry, Sammy. I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting that thing before it gets me. It's some kind of spirit, but Isabeau could grab it. And if I can grab it, I can kill it."

Sam looks over to where Dean was, confused.

* * *

Dean wanders the halls, then stops when he hears a girl yelling. "Can't you see me? Why won't you look at me?" Her voice echoes through the halls.

"Now what?" Dean groans.

A woman walks up the stairs yelling at the people passing, "Somebody talk to me! Say something, please!"

Dean walks up to the foot of the stairs, "Can you see me?"

The woman turns around, "Yeah."

Dean walks up the stairs to her, "All right, just, uh, calm down. What's your name?"

"Tessa." She answers.

"Okay, good, Tessa. I'm Dean." Dean introduces himself.

"What's happening to me? Am - am I dead?" Tessa asks.

"That sort of depends."

* * *

Dean and Tessa stand outside a room, watching Tessa's body, hooked up to tubes and machines. A woman sits by the bed, holding her hand. "I don't understand. I just came in for an appendectomy." Tessa shakes her head.

Dean glances at her, "Well, I hate to bear bad news, but I think there were some complications."

"It's just a dream, that's all. It's just a very weird, unbelievably vivid dream." Tessa turns to Dean.

"Tessa. It's not a dream." Dean says.

"Then what else could it be?" Tessa asks.

"You ever heard of an out of body experience?" Dean asks.

"What are you, some new agey guy?"

"You see me messing with crystals or listening to Yanni?" Tessa doesn't say anything. "It's actually a very old idea. Got a lot of different names; Bilocation, crisis apparition, fetches... I think it's happening to us. And if it is, it means that we're spirits of people close to death."

"So we're going to die?" Tess asks, glancing back at her body.

"No. Not if we hold on. Our bodies can get better, we can snap right back in there and wake up." Dean explains. He thinks about it for a second, "That's what Isabeau is doing."

Tessa furrows her brow, "Isabeau?"

* * *

Dean and Tessa stare down at Isabeau's unconscious form, the monitors beeping slowly. "This is Isabeau?" Tess asks.

Dean nods, "She's fighting. She's holding on."

Tessa looks back and forth between him and Isabeau, "Why isn't she here with us?"

Dean shakes his head, "Isabeau is holding on in her own way. She's… different." Dean sighs, "Isabeau's a fighter and right now she's fighting herself."


	2. In My Time of Dying Pt.2

"What do you mean, you felt something?" John asks Sam.

"I mean it felt like…" Sam shakes his head, "...like Dean and Isabeau. Like they were there, just out of eyeshot or something. I don't know if it's my psychic thing or what, it... But do you think it's even possible? I mean, do you think their spirits could be around?"

John nods, "Anything's possible."

"Well, there's one way to find out." Sam turns to leave.

"Where are you going?" John asks.

"I gotta pick something up. I'll be back." Sam turns at the doorway.

John sighs, "Wait, Sam. I promise I won't hunt this demon. Not until we know Dean and Isabeau are okay.

Sam nods and leaves.

* * *

Dean and Tessa are walking down the hallway. "I gotta say, I'm impressed." Dean says.

Tessa glances at him, "With what?"

"With you. Most people in your spot would be jello right now, but uh, you're taking this pretty well. Maybe a little better than me." Dean says as they stop at the bottom of a staircase.

Tessa turns to him, "Don't get me wrong. I was pretty freaked at first. But now, I don't know. Maybe I'm dealing."

"So you're okay with dying?" Dean asks.

Tessa scoffs, "No, of course not. I just think, whatever's gonna happen's gonna happen. It's out of my control, it's fate."

Dean huffs, "Huh. Well, that's crap. You always have a choice. You can either roll over and die or you can keep fighting, no matter what-"

"Room 237, code blue. Dr. Kripke to room 237, code blue." A nurse says over the PA system. Dean starts following the nurses who are running.

"Dean, where are you going?" Tessa asks.

"Just wait here." He tells her. Dean runs down the hallway to another room in crisis. The same spirit is hovering over a little girl, who is being resuscitated. It reaches a hand into her face.

"Get away from her!" He lunges at the spirit, which vanishes and the nurses stop resuscitation.

"All right, let's call it." The male doctor says.

The other female doctor looks at her watch, "Time of death, 5:11 p.m."

One of the nurses shakes her head, "At least she's not suffering anymore."

Dean looks on, stunned.

* * *

Sam enters Isabeau's room quietly, clutching a brown paper bag in his arms.

Sam sighs, looking down at her, "Hey. I think maybe you two are around. And if you are, don't make fun of me for this, but um, well, there's one way we can talk."

He pulls out a box labeled 'Mystical Talking Board'.

Dean is behind him, arms folded, "Oh, you gotta be kidding me." He says in disbelief. Dean sighs, looking at Isabeau, "Isabeau's not here, man. It's just me."

Sam circles around the bed and sits cross legged on the floor. He opens the box and pulls out the board, "Dean? Isabeau? Are you here?"

Dean groans, "God, I feel like I'm at a slumber party." He sits opposite Sam in front of the board and sighs, "All right, Sam. This isn't going to work."

Sam has his hands poised on the pointer. Dean exhales sharply, places his fingers on it and slowly, concentrating, slides it to 'YES' on the board. Sam gasps as he watches it move.

Dean looks up at Sam, surprised, "I'll be damned."

Sam laughs out in relief, "It's good to hear from you, guys. It hasn't been the same without you."

Dean glances over at Isabeau's body sadly, "Damn straight."

"All right." Dean places his fingers on the pointer again and starts sliding it.

Sam watches it, "Guys, what? H? U? Hunt? Hunting? Are you hunting?"

The pointer slides back to 'YES'.

"Guys, it's in the hospital, what you're hunting? Do, do you know what it is?" Sam asks.

"One question at a time, dude." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "What is it?"

The pointer slides again during the following, to R, E, A, P. "I don't think it's killing people. I think it's taking them. You know, when their time's just up." Dean tells him.

"A reaper. Guys... is it after you?" The pointer slides to 'YES'. Sam sighs, "If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it."

"Yeah, you can't kill death." Dean agrees.

Sam shakes his head, glancing over at Isabeau, "What about Rebecca? Is she your reaper, Isabeau?"

Dean looks down not knowing how to answer since Isabeau wasn't with him.

Sam stares at the board and breathes out, "Is Isabeau there with you, Dean?"

Dean slides the pointer to 'NO'.

Sam sniffles, "Where… where is she?"

Dean shakes his head, moving the pointer around, "I don't know, Sam. Rebecca said she was fighting herself to stay alive. She's not spiritually here with any of us." Dean moves the pointer around to spell out, 'DONT KNOW'.

Sam rubs a hand over his face, "Is Rebecca here for her?"

Dean sighs, "She's around, waiting." He slides the pointer over to 'YES'.

"No. No, no, no, um, there's gotta be a way." Sam stands, pacing, "There's gotta be a way. Dad'll know what to do."

* * *

Sam enters John's room and sees that the bed is empty.

"Dad." Sam whispers.

* * *

John pushes the door to the boiler room open and enters, carrying the duffel bag.

He walks through a dark and dripping hallway to a clear space, places the bag down. He kneels down, pulls out a box of white chalk and starts drawing a large symbol on the floor.

* * *

Sam returns carrying John's journal and sits on the edge of Isabeau's bed, looking out at the empty space in the room. "Hey. So, Dad wasn't in his room." Sam tells Dean, hoping he's listening.

Dean is leaning on one of the window sills, "Where is he?"

"But I got Dad's journal, so who knows? Maybe there's something here." Sam flips open the journal and leafs through it, glancing up at Isabeau's unconscious form occasionally.

Dean comes to stand behind him, "Thanks for not giving up on us, Sammy." Dean glances over at Isabeau.

Sam turns to a page that says 'Reapers', Dean leans over and reads something. His eyes go wide, "Son of a bitch."

He leaves, stalking down the hallway until he sees Tessa is sitting on the edge of the bed and she's dressed differently.

"Hi, Dean." She greets him.

Dean walks forward, "You know, you read the most interesting things. For example, did you know that reapers can alter human perception? I sure didn't. Basically they can make themselves appear however they want. Like, say, uh, a girl. Though the only reaper I like is Rebecca. She's honest."

"I was wondering when you would figure it out." Tessa says.

Dean shakes his head, "I should have known. That whole 'accepting fate' rap of yours is far too laid back for a dead chick. But the mother, and the body, I'm still trying to figure that one out."

"It's my sandbox, I can make you see whatever I want."

Dean scowls at her, "What, is this like a turn-on for you? What, toying with me?"

Tessa blinks, "You didn't give me much choice. You saw my true form and Isabeau and you flipped out. Kinda hurts a girl's feelings. This was the only way I could get you to talk to me."

"Okay, fine. We're talking. What the hell do you want to talk about?" Dean asks.

Tessa gets up from her spot, "How death is nothing to fear."

She reaches up to touch his cheek, but is stopped by another hand. Tessa and Dean look over, and see Rebecca glaring at Tessa. "Don't touch what is not yours."

Rebecca let's go of Tessa's hand go and Tessa lets it fall. "What? You taking my assignment, Hybrid?"

Tessa says 'hybrid' like it's dirt. Rebecca scoffs with a chuckle, "Oh he's yours, just keep your hands off of one of Isabeau's boyfriends."

"It's his time to go, hybrid." Tessa turns to Dean, "And you're living on borrowed time already."

Rebecca shakes her head, "Whatever. He's your assignment. Though I wish he wasn't."

Tessa chuckles, "A reaper that doesn't want people accepting death. You don't belong."

Rebecca shrugs, "Say what you will about me, Tessa, but I fight to keep the people that are important to me and the other girls, alive. It's called being human."

"But you aren't human."

"That might be true, but we 'hybrids' are more human than most." With that Rebecca turns and walks out of the room, disappearing in the hallway.

* * *

John has finished the chalk symbol in the boiler room, has placed several candles and a black bowl around it.

As he chants in latin, he slides a knife across his palm, drawing blood and dripping it on the bowl. He lights a match and drops it in. The sand in the bowl flares and goes out.

John stands, looking around and a hand grabs his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing down here, buddy?" A man in a janitor's suit asks.

John turns around, "I can explain."

The man nods, "Yeah? You're going to explain to security. Come on. You follow me." The man starts walking away.

John pulls out the Colt, cocks it and points it at the man, "Hey." The man turns around and John smiles, "How stupid do you think I am?"

The man smiles, eyes turning yellow, "You really want an honest answer to that?" Two possessed men in lab coats stalk by and take positions behind John.

" _You_ conjuring _me_ , John. I'm surprised. I took you for a lot of things. But, suicidally reckless wasn't one of them." The demon says.

"I could always shoot you." John says

"You could always miss." The demon laughs, "And you've only got one try, don't'cha? Did you really think you could trap me?"

"Oh, I don't want to trap you." John lowers the gun, "I want to make a deal."

The demon smiles at John, intrigued.

* * *

Sam is standing on the window side of Isabeau's bed, hands in his pockets.

"Dean, are you here?" Sam looks around, hoping Dean can hear, but Dean isn't in the room.

"I couldn't find anything in the book. I don't know how to help you. But I'll keep trying, all right? As long as you keep fighting. I mean, come on you can't, you can't leave me here alone with Dad. We'll kill each other, you know that."

Sam pauses, "Dean, you gotta hold on. You can't go, man, not now. We were just starting to be brothers again. Can you hear me?"

Sam looks down at Isabeau, and sits down on the edge of her bed, taking her limp hand in his. His lip trembles, "I can't lose you. Not after everything, please. Isabeau if you can hear me, wherever you are, please, keep on fighting."

He squeezes her hand, "You said that you weren't going to die anytime soon… keep your promise, Beau. Stay with us. Please."

* * *

Dean is staring out a dark window, "Look, I'm sure you've heard this before, but... you've gotta make an exception, you've gotta cut me a break."

"Stage three; bargaining." Tess states.

Dean turns to her, "I'm serious. My family's in danger. Isabeau is in danger. See, we're kind of in the middle of this, um, war, and they need me." He walks over to her.

"The fight's over." Tess says.

Dean shakes his head, "No, it isn't."

Tessa nods, "It is for you. Dean... You're not the first soldier I've plucked from the field. They all feel the same. They can't leave. Victory hangs in the balance. But they're wrong. The battle goes on without them."

"My brother. He could die without me."

Tessa shakes her head, "Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Nothing you can do about it. It's an honorable death. A warrior's death."

"I think I'll pass on the seventy-two virgins, thanks. I have Isabeau." Dean tells her.

Tessa chuckles, "Isabeau… such a strange creature. Cheated death twice. Who knows, might do it a third time. But if she does die, her death will be an honorable one as well."

Dean sighs, "There's no such thing as an honorable death. My corpse is going to rot in the ground and my family is going to die! No. I'm not going with you, I don't care what you do."

Tessa purses her lips, "Well, like you said. There's always a choice. I can't make you come with me. But you're not getting back in your body. And that's just facts. So yes, you can stay. You'll stay here for years. Disembodied, scared, and over the decades it'll probably drive you mad. Maybe you'll even get violent."

"What are you saying?" Dean asks, confused.

"Dean. How do you think angry spirits are born? They can't let go and they can't move on. And you're about to become one. The same thing you hunt." Tessa tells him.

* * *

The demon, John, and the two minions are still around the summoning symbol. "It's very unseemly, making deals with devils. How do I know this isn't just another trick?" The demon asks.

"It's no trick. I will give you the Colt and the bullet, but you've got to help Dean and Isabeau. You've got to bring them back." John says.

The demon smiles, "Why, John, you're a sentimentalist. If only your boys knew how much their daddy loved them."

"It's a good trade. You care a hell of a lot more about this gun than you do Dean and Isabeau." John says.

The demon steps closer, "Don't be so sure. He killed some people very special to me. But still, you're right, he isn't much of a threat. And neither is your other son."

John lowers his head, raises his eyes.

"You know the truth, right? About Sammy? And the other children?" The demon asks.

John nods, "Yeah. I've known for a while."

"But Sam doesn't, does he? You've been playing dumb."

John glares at him, "Can you bring Dean and Isabeau back? Yes or no?"

"No. But I know someone who can. It's not a problem." He raises a finger, "Except for little Isabeau."

"What?"

The demon smiles, "You see… I'm curious. We were told that little Isabeau was of limits. No killing whatsoever." He shrugs, "But, I wanted to know why, so I did a little digging and what I found was quite intriguing. She was created for a purpose, two families from different worlds. One from below and one from above."

The demon chuckles, "She's escaped the hands of death twice and there's a reason for that. Certain people are making sure that she stays alive. If she dies and stays dead, then maybe she's not as special as I thought." He smirks, "But if she dies and then comes back, then that confirms all my suspicions."

John glares at him, "I can't just leave her to die."

The demon waves a dismissive hand at him, "Isabeau is not your child, John. And besides, there's a rough 50 percent chance that someone behind the scenes will save her. But you already knew that… So, only Dean, nothing more."

John clenches his jaw, "Before I give you the gun, I'm going to want to make sure that Dean's okay. With my own eyes."

"Oh, John, I'm offended. Don't you trust me?" The demon smiles. John scoffs and shakes his head slowly. "Fine."

"So we have a deal?" John asks.

The demon shakes his head, "No, John, not yet. You still need to sweeten the pot."

"With what?"

The demon steps closer, "There's something else I want, as much as that gun. Maybe more."

* * *

Dean is sitting on the bed, with Tessa behind him. "It's time to put the pain behind you."

"And go where?" Dean asks, staring into nothing.

Tessa smiles weakly, "Sorry. I can't give away the big punchline. Moment of truth. No changing your mind later. So what's it going to be?"

As he turns to look at her, the lights start flickering, a familiar buzzing starts. They both get up from the bed, confused. "What are you doing that for?" Dean asks.

Tessa shakes her head, "I'm not doing it." They both turn to a vent in the floor and see black demon ichor pour out of it.

"What the hell?" Dean asks.

"You can't do this! Get away!" Tessa says as the demon ichor creeps toward her.

"What's happening?!"

Tessa screams as the demon flows into her mouth. She turns, eyes glowing yellow, "Today's your lucky day, kid."

The demon places a hand on Dean's forehead and he convulses.

* * *

Sam is still sitting on Dean's bed as Dean gasps, suddenly waking up and choking on the tube in his throat. "Dean?"

Sam turns and shouts into the hallway, "Help! I need help!"

* * *

The doctor looks at Dean's chart, "I can't explain it. The edema's vanished. The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You have some kind of angel watching over you."

Dean is sitting up in bed, "Thanks, doc."

The doctor leaves and Dean turns to Sam, "So you said a Reaper was after me?"

Sam nods, "Yeah."

"How'd I ditch it?"

Sam shakes his head, "You got me. Dean, you really don't remember anything?"

"No. Except this pit in my stomach. Sam, something's wrong." Dean says. He looks up at Sam, "Isabeau? How is she?"

Sam licks his lips, "She's bad, Dean. They… said she only has a couple of days, but you told me she was fighting to stay alive."

Dean looks down, "She's gotta make it. If she doesn't…" Dean trails off. If she doesn't make it, after yellow-eyes, what was the point of everything?

Sam nods, understanding, "I know."

A knock at the door makes them turn and they see John hovering in the doorway. "How you feeling, dude?" John asks.

"Fine, I guess. I'm alive." Dean says.

John smiles, "That's what matters."

"Where were you last night?" Sam asks with an undertone of anger.

"I had some things to take care of."

Sam nods, "Well, that's specific." He says sarcastically.

Dean glances over, "Come on, Sam."

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam asks.

John shakes his head, "No."

Sam shakes his head, "You know, why don't I believe you right now?"

John sighs, walking into the room, "Can we not fight?" He pleads, "You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

"Dad, are you all right?" Sam asks.

John smiles and nods, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired. Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Sam leaves, frowning and John looks after him sadly.

"What is it?" Dean asks.

John looks back, "You know, when you were a kid, I'd come home from a hunt, and after what I'd seen, I'd be, I'd be wrecked. And you, you'd come up to me and you, you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye and you'd... You'd say 'It's okay, Dad'."

John pauses, "Dean, I'm sorry."

"What?"

John shakes his head, "You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put, I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and you didn't complain, not once. I just want you to know... that I am so proud of you."

Dean looks at him in disbelief, "This really you talking?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's really me." John sniffles.

"Why are you saying this stuff?" Dean asks.

John comes closer, puts a hand on Dean's shoulder, "I want you to watch out for Sammy, okay?"

"Yeah, dad, you know I will. You're scaring me."

John smiles at him reassuringly, tears falling, "Don't be scared, Dean."

John leans over and whispers something into Dean's ear. Dean pulls back in shock, processing. John pulls away and nods, "And one more thing… Isabeau… when she wakes up. Love her, you and Sammy. Protect her. She's going to need it."

With that, John leaves, and Dean stares after him.

* * *

John walks into Isabeau's room, looking down at her with tears in his eyes. He comes up to the side of her bed and leans down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Isabeau… I don't know if you can hear me, or if you'll remember this. You made my boys the happiest men in the world. Love them, protect them… I know you will. You're a hothead when it comes to their safety."

He chuckles to himself sadly, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I tried. But I have faith that Bartholmieu and Yvette will find a way. They did the first time."

John stares down at her and leans forward, whispering in her ear. He pulls away once he's done and gives her a soft smile. Once he walks out the door, Isabeau's spirit flickers into the room, watching him leave.

She smiles softly, glancing over at her body. She looks down at her bare left hand, more specifically; her ring finger.

Isabeau smiles, crossing her arms, "Thanks for the blessing."

Isabeau's spirit flickers, disappearing completely, leaving only her unconscious body in the room.

* * *

John enters his hospital room and places the colt on a small bed table. "Okay."

* * *

Sam walks back to the room carrying a cup of coffee. He looks into a room and sees John on the floor. "Dad?!"

Dropping the cup, Sam runs to John's side, kneeling over him and screaming for help.

* * *

Once again, a crowd of doctors and nurses attempt resuscitation, this time on John. Dean and Sam hover in the doorway, and a nurse tries to push them out.

"No, no, no, it's our dad. It's our dad!" Dean pleads. "Come on." Dean says as the two brothers watch on.

"Okay, stop compressions." The doctor says.

They watch on helplessly, "Come on, come on."

"Still no pulse." The nurse says.

"Okay, that's it everybody. I'll call it. Time of death: 10:41 am." The doctor's voice echoes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what a sad season 2 opening, huh? And Isabeau hasn't woken up yet... interesting. Next chapter is an original chapter, but as usual it is important to the plot and if you just skip over it, you will be 100% confused for episode 2. Just to let you know.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Till Death Do Us Part

Dean sits in the waiting room of the hospital as Sam paces. Dean sighs, now dressed back in his clothing, "They said they were almost here, Sam. Calm down."

Sam huffs, taking a seat next to Dean, "I know, I'm just nervous."

Dean raises a brow at him, "What about?"

Sam chuckles, "The wrath of Isabeau's parents." Dean's face falls and rubs his face, if he wasn't dead before, he surely thought he was now.

"Boys."

Sam and Dean stand up and turn towards the entrance. Bartholmieu and Yvette stand at the entrance with Isabeau's brothers. All of their eyes are bloodshot.

Sam and Dean look down ashamed, "Bartholmieu… Yvette… We're sorry-" Sam is cut off as Yvette runs up to him and gives him a motherly hug. Sam looks down at her in confusion as Bartholmieu walks up and gives a hug to Dean.

"It's not your fault boys. We're just glad to see that you two are… okay." Bartholmieu says as him and his wife pull away. Isabeau's brothers walk up, clinging to Sam and Dean.

Bartholmieu pauses, "I'm sorry about John."

Sam and Dean look down once again. Bartholmieu sighs, "He was a good friend, and he was proud of you boys."

Dean smiles weakly at Bartholmieu, "Thank you." Sam nods in agreement.

Yvette breathes out, "Where is she?"

"Excuse me?" The doctor comes up to them.

Yvette and Bartholmieu turn to the doctor. "Are you Mr and Mrs. MacLeod? Parents of Isabeau MacLeod?"

Sam and Dean furrow their brows; they thought Fitzgerald was their last name. Bartholmieu glances over at the boys before speaking, "Actually, we go by the Fitzgerald's. But yes, can you take us to her?"

The doctor nods, "If you would follow me?"

Isabeau's parents nod. "Could you watch the boys for us… we don't want them to see her yet." Yvette asks Sam and Dean.

The two nod and bring the three brothers over to the chairs, keeping them occupied.

* * *

Yvette and Bartholmieu sit on either side of Isabeau's body, each of them holding onto one of her hands. Tears fall down their face as they lean over on their elbows, looking at Isabeau's face.

"This can't be happening." Yvette cries.

Bartholmieu bites his lip to stop him from sobbing. He had to stay strong for his wife. "We need to do something, Yvette."

Yvette sniffles, "I'm not that powerful anymore, Bartholmieu. I gave Isabeau most of my power to save her the first time. My touch is worthless."

Bartholmieu sighs, "I could call up my brother-"

"No." Yvette shakes her head, "I have nothing against your brother, but he is the very last resort."

Bartholmieu nods, "He still needs to know that his niece is dying." Yvette glances up at her husband and nods.

Bartholmieu gets up and steps out of the room, closing the door behind him, calling his brother.

Yvette looks back at her daughter's face and bursts into more tears, "My baby girl. You need to hold on. Your family still needs you. Who's gonna help me keep your little brothers in place? Who's gonna sing them to sleep?"

Her breath hitches, "Your father and I lost you once… I remember the day you were born. I expected to hear your cries, but you were silent. You weren't breathing. You were gone before I could even hold you."

She squeezes her daughters hand tightly, moving closer, brushing Isabeau's white hair behind her ear, "You were supposed to be a redhead… just like your Nanna." She chuckles, "Though I think the white suits you better."

Yvette bites her lip, "I gave you my responsibility to save you. I locked away the parts that you couldn't handle and now they're slowly coming back. I took away the memories of those who love and miss you."

"So please, hold on so I can explain everything. So I can apologize." Yvette sighs, stroking Isabeau's hair, "You can't leave your coven. They would be lost without you."

Yvette pauses, "Sam and Dean… they wouldn't be able to move on. You're the love of their lives, the three of you were destined to be together. Made for each other. Don't leave them. Fight for them… fight for all of us."

* * *

Dion looks down fiddling with his fingers, not paying attention to his other two older brothers talking. "Dion?" Dean crouches down in front of Isabeau's youngest brother, "How you doin, kiddo?"

Dion shrugs, not saying anything.

Dean sighs, "Your big sis is strong, she'll make it." Dean didn't know if he was just saying that to get his own hopes up.

Dion nods, "I know. This has happened before." Alphonse and Eugene stop talking and go to sit next to their little brother.

Dean furrows his brow as Sam crouches down next to him, "What do you mean, Dion?" Sam asks.

Dion doesn't answer, so Alphonse does, "Mom and Dad told us that Izzy was in a deep sleep when she was born, she wouldn't wake up."

Dean and Sam glance at each other, never hearing this story before, "She was stillborn?" Dean asks.

Alphonse nods, "I didn't know what that meant until they told us in sex ed… but Mom told us that Izzy came back after a few minutes, that she had angels looking out for her."

"That's why Izzy's hair is white." Eugene adds in. He pauses looking over at Alphonse, "Angels aren't real, silly."

Alphonse sticks his tongue out at him, "You never know!"

Dion rolls his eyes at his older brothers, "Morons." Sam raises a brow at Dion. Him and Isabeau were too much alike.

Alphonse and Eugene playfully glare at their little brother, looking back at Sam and Dean. "Stay right here, you three."

Sam and Dean get up from their crouched positions and walk a little ways away, still keeping an eye on the three boys. "Did you know about Isabeau being a stillborn?" Sam asks.

Dean shakes his head, "No… I don't even think Isabeau knew. Why would her parents not tell her?"

Sam huffs, "I don't know, Dean. I mean, Bartholmieu is over 300 years old and we don't know how much older Yvette is; Isabeau just said she was older." He pauses, "But why choose to start having children more than 20 years ago when they were together for hundreds of years?"

Dean thinks for a moment, "I don't know, Sam. Everything is honestly thrown out the window. If you think about it, why aren't Isabeau's brothers hybrids? Why is the demon after Isabeau in the first place? Nothing is adding up."

Sam doesn't say anything and Dean sighs, "I don't know and right now I don't care." Sam looks at him. Dean bites his lip, "I just want Isabeau alive. I want her here with us. That's all."

* * *

Bartholmieu leans against the wall of Isabeau's hospital room. Yvette stepped out a little while ago to go find a bathroom. Bartholmieu stares down at his daughter's body, fresh tears spilling.

He got off the phone with his brother and it probably had to be the most heartbreaking phone call he's ever had to give. When they were on the phone, he could hear his brother holding back his emotions. All his brother did was ask a few simple questions and then hung up.

No doubt his brother is cursing out anyone he sees and is taking his anger out on any poor soul.

Bartholmieu looks down at his phone, knowing who he had to call next; his mother. He sighs, knowing that the phone call was going to be even tougher. Isabeau and Nanna were very close. Once his mother hears the news, she'd be down there in no time flat, working to the bone to find something.

Just as he's about to open his phone, a sudden hiss from the other side of the room makes him freeze. He looks over and his eyes widen. Looking at him with curious eyes is a 8 foot long black mamba. It hisses at him as it slithers by, making it's way to Isabeau's bed.

Bartholmieu watches on in curiosity as the black mamba slithers up the side of the bed and on top of Isabeau's body. It stops, staring at her face for a few seconds before slithering underneath the neck of her shirt and down to the right side of her torso.

Bartholmieu sees the snake moving underneath her shirt, coiling itself into a certain position before the outline of the snakes slowly sinks into her side. He could no longer see any sign of the snake anywhere.

He walks over to her left side and slowly lifts up her shirt. He tilts his head once he sees a large black and white tattoo of the same black mamba, covering the length of the left side of her torso. He chuckles, shaking his head, "Brother, you find the strangest spells."

Bartholmieu puts her shirt back into place and as he's fixing the blanket he notices something else. He takes a seat next her and lifts her hand. One the inside of her left wrist is a small tattoo of a single white lily. He scoffs, "Looks like another one of your favorite uncle's knows what's going on. Giving you all the gifts."

"You got to wake up, Lass. Things will go to shit if you leave." Bartholmieu tells her and he's met with silence.

Bartholmieu let's go of Isabeau's hand and glances over, his eye catching her rosary sitting on top of her dried bloody clothing. He walks over, picks it up and stares it in his hands. Bartholmieu breathes deeply and walks back over to Isabeau, placing the rosary in her hand, "If you love her, you will save her."

* * *

Some time later, everyone was sitting in Isabeau's room. Alphonse, Eugene and Dion were all curled into Isabeau's sides, refusing to leave her alone. They thought if they stayed near Isabeau, she could wake up at any moment.

Plus they said that they don't want Isabeau to be cold when she wakes up… truly the logic of children. Their parents didn't say anything against it. Their sons were like leeches with Isabeau. Never wanting to part for too long.

Sam and Dean stand near the windows as Bartholmieu and Yvette sit on the other side. Nothing was said between any of them, all too scared to shatter the silence.

But the beeping of the monitors did that for them. All of them look over in shock as all the monitors start beeping rapidly and Isabeau's heartrate monitor flatlines. Nurses and doctors come rushing in, pushing everyone out of the room.

Isabeau's little brothers cry out as they're pulled away forcefully from Isabeau's body, begging to be with their sister.

Sam and Dean struggle against the doctors and nurses, tears falling freely as they shout for Isabeau.

Isabeau's parents watch on dragging their children, pain etched on their faces.

Extra nurses and doctors hold the entire family and Sam and Dean back as they rush to resuscitate Isabeau.

They watch as Isabeau's body convulses when they shock her. Nothing changes. "All clear." One of the nurses says.

On the other side of the hospital room, Isabeau's spirit flickers in and she watches on, tears in her eyes as she hears the screams of her family. She cradles her face in her hands as she cries.

An arm pulls her into the owner's chest. Rebecca stares at Isabeau's body while holding her spiritual one close. Tears are falling down her cheeks, "I'm sorry, Isabeau."

Isabeau sobs into Rebecca's arms and with one final attempt at resuscitation from the doctors, Rebecca and Isabeau disappear.

"All right, call it. Time of death, 3:21 pm." One of the nurses says.

Sam falls to his knees, staring blankly into the room as Dean screams out, punching one of the walls in anger before sliding down against it and onto the floor. Both brothers stare at Isabeau's dead body feeling empty inside. Like all the life was sucked out of them.

The cries of Isabeau's brothers echoed through the hall as Yvette and Bartholmieu held them back, crouching down pulling them into one giant family hug. The family cries, the brothers holding onto each other as Yvette and Bartholmieu lean their heads against one another's.

The extra nurses and doctors walk out the room, leaving the family to mourn the loss of Isabeau. A few doctors and nurses stay, unhooking Isabeau from the machines and taking the tube out of her throat.

Suddenly, all throughout the hospital, every vase full of flowers in the patients rooms started to wilt rapidly. Petals falling from their stems and all color draining. Some nurses notice and watch with confusion.

Outside thunder rumbles in and the skies turn dark, lightning crashing down to the earth's surface. The winds begin to pick up as it starts to pour and people outside everywhere run inside for shelter.

The trees and flowers surrounding the hospital start to wilt as well. Leaves falling from the branches of trees and turning brown once they hit the ground. Even the grass surrounding the hospital was turning from it's bright green to a brown at a rapid pace.

Yvette and Bartholmieu lookup, hearing the weather outside and look at each other in fear. Nature was angry and it was dying all at once. They look over at Isabeau's body as the doctors work around her.

In the end, Isabeau wasn't strong enough to fight. She lost her own battle.

* * *

Isabeau stands at the edge of the lake in her backyard, her pants legs rolled up as her feet were submerged in the water.

She looks out to the lake blankly, sighing to herself, "So… I guess I ended up in heaven, huh?" Isabeau asks herself.

Isabeau scoffs, picking up a rock and throws it. She watches it skip across the lake with ease before sinking into the water, "Thought I would end up in hell for what I've done…"

She turns and steps out of the water, walking up to a house that was similar to her parents, but much bigger. She walks through the back door and enters the house. They're were books scattered everywhere, plants hanging from the ceiling and the sound of Frank Sinatra on record echoing throughout the house.

Isabeau smiles softly, walking into the living room where a fire was lit, her favorite tea and dessert, green tea and cheesecake, was placed on the table.

She glances over at the front door and furrows her brow when she sees a small golden plaque over the front door. She walks over to it, squinting at it. It read 'Isabeau Fitzgerald MacLeod' at the top and right underneath her name were two others.

'Sam and Dean Winchester'.

Isabeau huffs out a laugh in disbelief. The three of them share a heaven together. Her mother always told her that there were special cases in heaven, that soulmates shared the same heaven. Isabeau always thought it was some cheesy thing that her mother read from a romance novel and teased about it.

"I expected nothing less from you."

Isabeau turns at the sound of a man's voice, but then shields her eyes from light that surrounded the man. "Dude, turn down the brights. I almost went blind."

The man chuckles, "Sorry, but I can't 'turn down the brights'. Just close your eyes."

Isabeau hesitates and closes her eyes, turning back towards the man, seeing nothing, "Seriously? Couldn't have given me sunglasses or something?"

The man chuckles once again, walking closer to Isabeau, "Pretty clever idea, I'll have to remember that."

She felt the man's hands touch her shoulders. She tilts her head at his touch, "Who are you?"

"I can't tell you that."

Isabeau scoffs, "Well that's comforting."

"Isabeau… you're not supposed to be here." The man says.

Isabeau sighs, "I knew it. I belong in hell, don't I?"

The man pauses, "No, you don't. You're not a bad person Isabeau, you've done good and you've touched the hearts of many. Even those who do evil would turn the tide for you. You're special… my little miracle."

Isabeau furrows her brow, eyes still closed, "...Little miracle?" She's heard that somewhere.

The man chuckles, "Yes… my little miracle. And my little miracle still has work to do. This was merely a minor set back, a bump in the road if you will."

The man reaches up and cups Isabeau's cheeks, "Cause without you in the world, my little miracle, everything will end."

He leans his head down and places a loving kiss on her forehead, "Go and be my little miracle."

* * *

The doctor glances over Isabeau's family in the hallway, shaking his head at their sorrow. The family and Sam and Dean were stuck to their spots. Isabeau's parents cried as they held onto each other and their children.

Sam and Dean still had their heads bowed, tears falling effortlessly onto the hospital floor. The brothers couldn't even look at each other. They didn't even know if they had the strength to stand back up. They just lost their best friend; the woman they've loved for years.

The doctor pulls up the white bed sheets to cover Isabeau's face. Just as he's about to let go, Isabeau sits up in the bed with a strangled gasp, and begins to cough loudly.

Everyone freezes, staring at Isabeau as she pulls the sheet away from her. She takes a few deep breaths, trying to get air back in her lungs.

Sam and Dean get up from their spot frantically; Isabeau's parents and brothers follow the two of them into the room to stand at the foot of Isabeau's bed.

Once she is able to breath normally, she looks slowly before setting her gaze on her family and boyfriends. She stares at them, confused at why they're looking at her like they've seen a ghost, "What? Is there something on my face?" She asks, touching her face softly.

Sam and Dean smile in disbelief, their tears of sadness now joy. She smiles back at them, not knowing why they were so happy to see her and why they were crying.

Isabeau hears a thud behind her. She turns to see that one of the nurses fainted. Isabeau grimaces and turns back to her family, "Geesh, I didn't know I was that ugly." She jokes with a small laugh.

"Izzy!" Her three brothers suddenly shout out, climbing onto the bed and all of them hugging her at once.

"Ow! Ow! Easy! Watch the hair. What's up with you guys?" Isabeau asks with a chuckle as her brothers climb all over her. She looks over at her parents who are smiling at her.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

Unknown to everyone in the room, the flowers in the hospital, come back to live, their petals regrowing and their color returning.

Outside the thunder, lightning and rain stop and go away like it was never there in the first place.

The brown leaves turn back to green and float their way back up to their branches on the trees, the grass turns back to bright green and the flowers regrow as well.

Nature was at peace.

* * *

Isabeau looks up as the doctor explains what he found after looking her over, "Everything appears to be normal. All your vital organs are functioning the way they should…" The doctor looks at the papers and glances at Isabeau's family, and Sam and Dean.

"I'm very sorry for all the confusion we've caused all of you. It seemed for certain that Isabeau was…" The family stares at him waiting for him to continue. "Well, she seems healthy and she's ready to leave once we sign a few discharge papers."

Isabeau nods, running her fingers through Dion's hair. Dion was sitting in her lap as Alphonse and Eugene were sitting next to her; Alphonse on her right and Eugene on her left. "Thank you, doctor."

The doctor gives them all a smile and shakes his head as he walks out the door. Isabeau chuckles, "I think I just made him question everything he knows about the medical field."

Bartholmieu and Yvette chuckle as Dean and Sam smile at her from their spot at the foot of her bed.

Bartholmieu reaches over and strokes his daughter's hair, "Do you remember anything?"

Isabeau furrows her brow, playing with her rosary that was in her other hand. "I…" She trails off, snippets of the past days coming back to her. She blinks as she pieces all of them together.

"Yellow-eyes…" She looks up at Sam and Dean who glance down. Yvette and Bartholmieu share a knowing look. "He tried to kill me… well he did… I guess."

Isabeau pauses, looking up at Dean, "Dean… you were dying. And, uh, a reaper was after you."

Sam and Dean look up at her in surprise. "You remember that?" Sam asks.

Isabeau shrugs, "Bits and pieces. I was really only there once to help Dean and another when John came into my room."

Isabeau looks around, not seeing him anywhere, "Where is John?"

Everyone stays silent. Bartholmieu smiles weakly at his sons, "Come on, lads. Let's leave them be for a while."

The boys groan as they're pulled away from Isabeau and are taken out the door by her parents, leaving just her, Sam and Dean in the room.

Isabeau sighs, staring at the door, "So tell-" Isabeau is cut off as Sam fervently kisses Isabeau. She moans out as Sam pulls her close, "Sam, easy." She pants out.

"I thought… I thought we lost you." Sam confesses, tears pooling in his eyes. He thought he cried all he could today, but he still had more tears left in him.

Isabeau smiles sadly, "Hey, I'm here, Stretch. I'm not going anywhere." She looks over at Dean, a lone tear falls from his eye.

Isabeau holds her hand out to him, "Come here, Dearie." Dean's face contorts in pain, pulling Isabeau away from Sam, and basically engulfing her in his arms.

Isabeau closes her eyes as he cries quietly in her shoulder, "Shh, I'm here. I'm fine."

Sam watches on with a sincere smile. Isabeau was truly everything they wanted and needed. How lucky they were.

Isabeau pulls away slightly, wiping away the tears on Dean's cheeks, "What-" Once again she was cut off by Dean's lips as they parted hers. Isabeau hums contently as their lips meet again and again.

Isabeau hums once again, pulling away from Dean's desperate lips. She presses a finger to them, taking a breath. "Damn, you boys are giving me a run for my money." Sam shakes his head with a smile as Dean playfully rolls his eyes.

Isabeau slowly climbs out of bed, holding up a hand to stop Sam and Dean in their tracks who were ready to help her at a moment's notice, "Ah! I got it from here boys. I just need to get to my bag and change."

She looks down at the hospital wear with a grimace once she stands, "Yeah, I'll take dried bloody clothes over these." She starts walking over to her bag, "So, where's John? You've been avoiding the question."

Sam and Dean glance at each other. "He's dead." Sam simply says.

Isabeau freezes and turns to them in shock, "What?" She whispers out in disbelief.

Dean nods, "This morning. We haven't burned him yet. We were waiting until you woke up."

Isabeau blinks, nodding, "I'm… I'm sorry."

Sam shakes his head at Isabeau, "You couldn't have done anything, Isabeau. It happened so suddenly."

Isabeau turns back to her bag, pulling out her clothes from the accident, "He… he came to me in my room. He told me to… you _asked_ me to do everything that I always do. Protect the two of you, love you both."

Isabeau sighs, "He said that he was sorry he couldn't save me."

Dean stares at her back, "What did he mean by that?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "I don't know." She pulls off her hospital t-shirt.

"Holy shit." Dean exclaims. Isabeau jumps, turning to them, "What? What?!"

Sam gets up from his spot with Dean and walks over to Isabeau and touches her left side, "Isabeau… you didn't have this before."

Isabeau looks down and her eyes widen at the large tattoo of a black mamba taking up the left side of her torso, "What the hell?"

Dean catches a glimpse at her left arm and snatches it, "You didn't have this either." He points out the small tattoo of a single white lily. Isabeau looks down at it in confusion. White lilies were her favorite.

"Okay, did someone, like decide to have a field day on my body?" Isabeau asks, tracing over the snake tattoo once more. A black mamba… Uncle C. Isabeau huffs and shakes her head, "We'll figure it out later. Right now…" She pulls on her shirt with dried blood, "... I wanna get out of here."

* * *

Isabeau waves to her family as they pull out of the hospital parking lot. She lets her hand fall as they disappear from her sight. She fiddles with the keys in her hand that belonged to her sweetheart; her black 1958 Chevrolet impala convertible. She stares forward, thinking to herself.

"Hey." Sam comes up beside her, placing an arm around her waist. Dean comes up behind her as well, on her other side, taking the hand that had her rosary wrapped around it.

"Things will never be the same, will they?" Isabeau asks aloud.

Dean sighs, "When have they ever been?"

Isabeau nods, "Well, for now, I'm driving."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd I do? Yes, this is officially the third time Isabeau cheats death. Though she only has died twice and then came back. I hope you guys have enjoyed the first three chapters of 'Till Death Do Us Part'. I am very excited for writing this season. Also, what are your theories on Isabeau's mysterious white lily tattoo? Black mamba of course if a small gift from Uncle C, but I'm curious to know what you guys think about her other one. Also any guesses on what John whispers in her ear? (I feel like I made it too obvious so I feel like all you smart, beautiful people will get it in no time flat.)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Everybody Loves a Clown Pt.1

Isabeau sits on top of her car's hood, staring out at the woods before her. She let Sam and Dean have their moment of privacy with saying goodbye to their father.

With a groan, Isabeau falls back onto the car, looking up at the stars above her. "Little miracle?" She questions aloud. Things weren't adding up. She died and went to heaven, so she should've stayed there. Who brought her back?

Isabeau looks over, seeing Sam walk towards her with tears in his eyes. She sits up and stares at him as he stops in front of her. Sam sniffles, reaching out to take Isabeau's hands in his own.

He squeezes her hands, as if to remind himself that Isabeau is there in front of him and not dying in some hospital bed.

Since they left the hospital, Sam and Dean have been very clingy. Holding her hand whenever they had the chance, wrapping their arms around her to pull her into their broad chests, any sort of physical contact.

Isabeau gave them whatever they needed. She didn't know what it was like to lose a parent or any family member for that matter. She only had brief memories of her grandfather and she was so young that it hadn't affected her as much, but she did wear his rosary to honor him.

"I'm here, Sam. Whatever you need." Isabeau says softly. Sam smiles weakly at her, pulling her closer so that he stands in between her legs.

Sam leans down, pressing his forehead against hers. The two say nothing for a few moments before Sam pulls Isabeau into his chest and he sobs into her shoulder.

Isabeau closes her eyes, rubbing small circles on the small of his back, under his layers. "I got you… I got you." She whispers out.

Sam's arms tighten around her form, his body leaning into hers. Isabeau opens her eyes as she continues to comfort Sam, his sobs dying down, turning into sniffles. "You should check on Dean." Sam's voice breaks as he speaks.

Isabeau nods and the two pull away. She wipes away his tears and softly kisses him before hopping off of the hood and walks into the words towards Dean. Sam leans against the car watching Isabeau disappear from his sight.

Isabeau walks deeper into the woods and slowly comes to a stop when she sees the burning funeral pyre.

She shoves her hands in her pockets, biting her lip as Dean stands in front of her, staring into the flames silently.

Isabeau takes a breath and walks up to Dean, standing next to him, "Dean…" She says softly. She knew that Dean was trying his best to keep any emotion from showing in front of Sam. He was a big brother; had to be strong for his little brother. She did the same when it came to her little brothers. Hiding her emotions to be strong in front of them.

Dean turns to her and stares at her, tears pooling in his eyes. Isabeau's eyes soften at Dean; though Dean only really showed his weaknesses to Isabeau. "What do you need from me, Dean?" She asks.

Dean steps forward, "I…" Dean trails off, staring into Isabeau's blue eyes that reflected the flames from the fire. Isabeau frowns slightly, taking the final step and wrapping her arms around his waist, her head up against his chest, hearing his heartbeat.

"I understand." Isabeau simply says. Dean closes his eyes, letting the tears he's been holding back, fall. One hand entanges in Isabeau's hair, keeping her head against his chest and the other hooks around her waist.

Isabeau didn't need Dean to tell her what he needed. Him and Sam just both needed her touch, her comfort, her care, everything that Isabeau is; they needed. And Isabeau would give up her entire being to help her Sam and Dean.

* * *

**One Week Later**

Isabeau huffs, blowing a piece of her hair out of her face. "Okay, you see that piece right there? Now what you need to do…" Isabeau points to the different parts of her car's engine, explaining each function to Eugene.

It's been a week since John's passing and the three have been staying at Bobby's until Dean can fix his impala. During that time, Sam and Dean practically stuck to her hip and the three have been sleeping in her old room. Since both brothers needed her, they fell back to the three of them sharing the same bed with Isabeau, always between the two of them.

A part of her knew that they were both mourning the passing of their father in their own ways, but something was telling her that they were still getting over almost losing her as well. They were constantly over her shoulder, asking if they could help. Their eyes were always on her, sending her worried glances. On multiple occasions she had to scold the both of them, telling them she appreciated that they were worried, but she was fine.

Horribly confused by the events of the past year, but physically she was fine. She was more worried about the boys than she was herself. Dean hasn't really talked about John's passing and she knew that Dean would talk to her more when he was ready. Sam talked about John here and there, but was a little on edge with his older brother's behavior.

Since she's been at Bobby's, multiple members of her coven have visited her as well, and many tears of joy were wept between all of them. Sam and Dean even got to meet them and the coven gave their own condolences for the boy's father.

"What does that do?" Eugene asks, pointing to another part of the engine. Isabeau leans on the car, informing Eugene.

Eugene was dropped off the day before, wanting to see his Gramps and big sister. Isabeau took that time to show Eugene the in's and out's of her own impala, since Eugene didn't know much about it. He was slowly learning with the help from her and Bobby. She was for sure that one day he was going to take over Bobby's salvage yard with how passionate he was.

Isabeau was surprised that her other brothers didn't tag along. Though when she heard that Alphonse and Dion were with Uncle C, she understood. That was a difficult phone call in itself. Surprise Uncle C! Your niece isn't dead! Let's just say, her Uncle C wants at least a week with her sometime in the future.

Isabeau smiles at her brother and Bobby comes up to them, two beers for her and Bobby and a soda for Eugene. "Thanks, Gramps!" Eugene exclaims, taking his soda happily.

Bobby ruffles Eugene's hair and hands Isabeau her beer. "Thanks…" Isabeau trails off, looking over to see Dean a ways away, underneath his impala with only his legs sticking out. It was a little more than a rusted frame and was considerably less crunched from a week ago. Other than keeping a watchful eye on Isabeau, he's been working on the impala nonstop.

Isabeau takes a sip of her beer and jumps slightly when she feels a hand rest on her hip. She sighs when she looks over and sees Sam besides her. "I swear, I think you're getting me back from all those times I scared you and Dean when we were younger."

Sam huffs out a laugh, "You're just easy to scare."

Isabeau purses her lips, "Pfft, I am not." She denies. She wasn't easy to scare, she's just been on edge lately. What with yellow-eyes and the mysterious man that brought her back to life, she felt like she had to be cautious of everything around her.

Sam juts his head toward Dean, "Come with me?"

Isabeau glances over at Bobby who nods his head at her. He would keep an eye on Eugene and keep him distracted. Isabeau nods at him.

Her and Sam walk away from the two and approach Dean, "How's the car coming along?" Sam asks.

"Slow." Dean simply says.

Sam glances at Isabeau, who just shrugs. "Yeah? Need any help?" Sam asks.

Dean drops a piece of the impala heavily to the ground, "What, you under a hood? I'll pass." Isabeau sighs, looking down at her beer. She didn't want to drink it anymore.

Sam bites his lip, "Need anything else, then?"

Dean pushes himself out from under the car and stands, glancing at his brother, "Stop it, Sam."

"Stop what?" Sam asks, confused.

Dean walks over to the table beside them that was covered in tools, "Stop asking if I need anything, stop asking if I'm okay. I'm okay. Really. I promise." Isabeau bites her lip, not wanting to say anything. She said similar words to both of them.

Sam sighs, "All right, Dean, it's just... We've been at Bobby's for over a week now and you haven't brought up Dad once."

Dean turns to the both of them, "You know what? You're right. Come here. I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry, hug, and maybe even slow dance."

Isabeau gives Dean a look, not amused by his attitude. She knew it was his way of putting up his wall to hide his emotions.

Sam shakes his head, "Don't patronize me, Dean. Dad is dead. Isabeau almost died." Isabeau frowns at Sam. She didn't almost die, she did die.

"The Colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all of this, and you're acting like nothing happened." Sam shouts.

"What do you want me to say?" Dean asks.

"Say something, all right? Hell, say anything! Aren't you angry? Don't you want revenge? But all you do is sit out here all day long buried underneath this damn car." Sam shouts again.

Dean nods at him, "Revenge, huh?"

"Yeah."

Dean smiles bitterly, "Sounds good. You got any leads on where the demon is? Making heads or tails of any of Dad's research? Because I sure ain't. But you know, if we do finally find it - oh. No, wait, like you said. The Colt's gone. But I'm sure you've figured out another way to kill it. We've got nothing, Sam. Nothing, okay? So you know the only thing I can do? Is I can work on the car."

Dean crouches by the car again, getting back to work.

"Well, we've got something, all right?" Sam says, pulling out a cell phone. "It's what I came out here to tell you with Isabeau. This is one of dad's old phones. Took me a while, but I cracked his voicemail code. Listen to this."

Sam hands the cell phone to Dean, who stands and takes it reluctantly, gesturing to Isabeau to come to him. Isabeau comes over and presses her ear up against the cell phone with Dean. A female's voice rings out, "John, it's Ellen. Again. Look, don't be stubborn, you know I can help you. Call me."

Dean pulls the phone away, giving Sam a look, handing the phone back to him.

"That message is four months old." Sam takes the phone back.

"Dad saved that chick's message for four months?" Dean asks.

"Yeah."

"Well, who's Ellen? Any mention of her in Dad's journal?"

Sam shakes his head, "No. But I ran a trace on her phone number and I got an address."

Dean nods, "Ask Bobby if we can use one of his cars."

"No need." Isabeau speaks up for the first time, holding up a pair of car keys with a smirk. "We're taking, Sweetheart."

* * *

Isabeau, Dean and Sam pull up to a Roadhouse Saloon in Isabeau's own impala. She had the hood down and everything, it felt good to be driving her Sweetheart.

Isabeau turns off the engine and sighs happily, "Man, it feels good to be driving her again." She comments.

Dean looks over at her from the passenger's seat, "I don't understand why you won't let me drive? Then all of us could be upfront."

Sam shakes his head from the backseat and all three step out of the car. Isabeau chuckles, "Sweetheart to me is like Baby to you, Dean. Very rarely will I ever let anyone drive her. Being one of my boyfriends doesn't give you a leg up on everyone else."

They start looking around. "Hello? Anybody here?" Isabeau calls out, looking around the side of the Roadhouse with Sam.

Dean tries to look through one of the windows, but the curtains block any sight inside. Dean turns to Sam and Isabeau, "Hey. You bring the, uh…"

"Of course." Sam says, tossing the lock picks to Dean, who catches it. Sam and Isabeau walk up to him as he picks at the lock. Dean successfully unlocks it, they open the door and go inside.

The saloon is quiet except for a fly buzzing who films right into a bug zapper. Isabeau grimaces when she hears its cries. That was disturbing. The three glance at each other as Dean hands the lock picks back to Sam.

They go to the back and see a man passed out on the bar. "Hey, buddy?" Sam calls out. "I'm guessing that isn't Ellen."

"Yeah." Dean agrees while Isabeau hums.

Sam and Dean go into a back room, looking around. Isabeau goes down the steps, then pauses as she feels the point of a gun touch her back. Isaeau closes her eyes briefly with a sigh, "Oh god, please let that be a rifle."

The gun cocks, "No, I'm just real happy to see you. Don't move." A female voice answers Isabeau.

Isabeau slightly raises her arms up, "Not moving, copy that. You know, you should know something, miss. When you put a rifle on someone, you don't want to put it right against their back. Because it makes it real easy to do…" She turns fluidly, grabbing the rifle and cocking it, "That."

Jo pauses for a moment, taking Isabeau in, before punching her in the face and takes back the rifle, aiming it at her. Jo tilts her head at Isabeau who is doubled over, clutching her nose as it bleeds. Too bad Jo had to hit such a pretty face.

"Sam! Dean! Need some help in here." She calls out. "I can't see, I can't even see." She mutters to herself.

The back door opens to reveal Sam and Dean, both hands on their heads. They enter slowly. "Sorry, Isabeau, we can't right now. We're a... little tied up." Sam says.

Dean nods his head, indicating Ellen, who is behind them with a handgun pointed at their heads.

Ellen looks back and forth between the brothers, "Sam? Dean? Winchester?" Isabeau furrows her brow at Ellen.

Sam and Dean glance at each other, unsure, "Yeah."

Ellen then glances over at Isabeau, "Isabeau Fitzgerald?" Isabeau nods slightly.

"Son of a bitch." Ellen says.

"Mom, you know these guys?" Jo asks her mother.

"Yeah, I think these are John Winchester's boys." Sam and Dean look at Ellen confused. Ellen nods her head at Isabeau, "Bartholmieu and Yvette Fitzgerald's, oldest daughter."

Ellen lowers the gun, laughing, "Hey, I'm Ellen. This is my daughter Jo." Dean and Sam lower their arms when they realized they were no longer held at gunpoint.

Jo also lowers her rifle, "Hey."

Isabeau smiles at her, "You're not gonna hit me again, are you?" She wipes away at the blood on her upper lip.

* * *

The three are sitting near the bar, Isabeau sitting in between Sam and Dean. Ellen hands Isabeau a small towel filled with ice. "Here you go."

Isabeau smiles gratefully at her, taking the towel, "Thanks." Sam and Dean watch as she lightly presses the towel up against her nose. Sam rests his hand on the small of Isabeau's back as Dean turns to Ellen, "You called our dad, said you could help. Help with what?"

Ellen leans against the bar, Jo sitting next to her, "Well, the demon, of course. I heard he and Bartholmieu were closing in on it." Isabeau perks up at her father's name. How did Ellen know her parents?

Dean glances at Sam and Isabeau and turns back to Ellen, "What, was there an article in the _Demon Hunters Quarterly_ that I missed? I mean, who, who are you? How do you know about all this?"

Ellen smiles, "Hey, I just run a saloon."

Ellen looks over at Isabeau who was staring at her. Jo even looks over at Isabeau, her eyes looking up and down Isabeau's body. "Your parents and I have been good friends for years, Isabeau. You were barely walking last time I saw you."

Isabeau slightly tensed when Ellen said she's known her parents for years… Did she really know them? Ellen smiles comfortingly when she notices Isabeau's reaction. Ellen taps her nose, "Don't worry. I know and you're safe here."

Isabeau's shoulders sag in relief. Ellen addresses the boys again, "But hunters have been known to pass through now and again. Including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once."

"Oh yeah? How come he never mentioned you before?" Dean asks.

Ellen pauses, "You'd have to ask him that."

The three say nothing and Dean brushes over her statement, "So, why exactly do we need your help?"

"Hey, don't do me any favors. Look, if you don't want my help, fine. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out. But John wouldn't have sent you if…" Ellen stops, realizing "He didn't send you."

Dean looks down, then back at Sam and Isabeau.

"He's all right, isn't he?" Ellen asks.

Dean bites his lip as Sam speaks for all of them, "No. No, he isn't. It was the demon, we think. It, um, it just got him before he got it, I guess." Dean looks away, holding back his emotions. Noticing, Isabeau moves her free hand underneath the back of Dean's shirt, lightly rubbing it in circles.

"I'm so sorry." Ellen apologizes.

Dean looks back at Ellen, "It's okay. We're all right."

"Really? I know how close you and your dad were."

"Really, lady, I'm fine." Dean grits out. Isabeau pulls away the towel from her face and lightly moves her hand up Dean's back, trying to calm him down. He sighs into Isabeau's touch as Ellen gives him a look.

Sam shakes his head, "So look, if you can help, we could use all the help we can get." Dean glances over at his brother.

Ellen turns to Jo, "Well, we can't. But Ash will."

Isabeau furrows her brow, "Who's Ash?"

"Ash!" Ellen calls out.

The man passed out on the bar, jerks awake and sits up, flailing. "What? It closin' time?" Isabeau, Sam and Dean turn to the man.

Isabeau turns back, looking at Jo and pointing to the man, "That's Ash?"

Jo nods, "Mm-hmm. He's a genius."

* * *

A brown folder is slapped down on the bar; Sam, Isabeau and Ash are sitting, and Dean is standing behind them. Jo is on the other side of the bar pouring glasses of water.

"You've gotta be kidding me, this guy's no genius. He's a Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie." Dean says looking at Ash.

Ash nods at Dean, "I like you."

"Thanks."

"Just give him a chance." Jo says.

Isabeau turns to Dean, giving him a look. Dean shakes his head at her, taking the seat on the other side of her, "All right. This stuff's about a year's worth of our dad's work, so uh, let's see what you make of it." Dean smiles smugly, pushing the folder towards Ash.

Isabeau stares at Dean deadpan, hitting him on the back of his head lightly. Sam snorts into his glass of water as Dean glares at Isabeau, reaching over to smack her ass. Leave it to Isabeau to make light of any situation.

Ash pulls out the papers and starts rifling through them. He shakes his head, "Come on. This crap ain't real. There ain't nobody can track a demon like this."

The three glance at each other confused, "Our dad could." Sam says.

Ash glances at the three of them, "There are non-parametrics, statistical overviews, prospects and correlations, I mean.. damn! They're signs. Omens. Uh, if you can track 'em, you can track this demon. You know, like crop failures, electrical storms... You ever been struck by lightning? It ain't fun."

Isabeau purses her lips. She can be lightning, does that count?

"Can you track it or not?" Sam asks.

Ash nods, "Yeah, with this, I think so. But it's gonna take time, uh, give me... fifty one hours." He gathers up the papers and gets up to leave.

Dean smiles a little, "Hey, man?"

Ash turns around, "Yeah."

"By the way. I, uh, I dig the haircut."

Ash runs his fingers through his hair, "All business up front, party in the back." Isabeau snorts, amused by Ash, "I like him."

As he leaves, Jo walks by, locking her eyes with Isabeau. Isabeau sighs to herself, patting both Sam and Dean on their arms and then gets up to follow her. Might as well get to know another girl in the hunting gig that wasn't a member of her coven.

Dean watches Isabeau walk over to Jo. He noticed the little looks that Jo was giving Isabeau, but he trusted that Isabeau wasn't going to act upon any of it. Though it didn't stop the little monster called jealousy pool in his stomach.

Seeing Isabeau be intimate with her coven was completely fine. That was a bond that not even him or his brother can come in between. It was something that was established years before the three fell into their own relationship. But if any woman that wasn't part of Isabeau's coven was flirting and hitting on Isabeau, him and Sam couldn't help but be overprotective.

They knew deep down, Isabeau would never be with anyone that wasn't Sam and Dean or her coven, but there was always that underlying irrational fear. Isabeau could easily have someone wrapped around her fingers; she already did with Sam and Dean.

Sam sees something behind the bar. "Hey, Ellen, what is that?" Sam asks. Dean looks away from Isabeau and to what Sam was asking about.

Ellen glances over, "It's a police scanner. We keep tabs on things, we…"

"No, no, no, no, the, um, the folder." Sam interrupts her, pointing to the folder.

Ellen walks over and grabs it, "Uh, I was gonna give this to a friend of mine. But take a look, if you want." She places it in front of Sam and Dean. It has some newspaper clippings attached to the front, and on the front, in red marker: 'Couple Murdered. Child Left Alive. Medford, Wisc.'

At the window, Isabeau sits down by Jo, "How did your mom get into this stuff, anyway?" She asks, curious.

Jo smiles down at her softly, "From my dad. He was a hunter. He passed away."

Isabeau takes a breath, "I'm sorry." Pretty much every hunter that she knew that wasn't in her coven, have lost one parent or both parents. She couldn't imagine losing either one of her parents.

Jo nods at her condolence, "It was a long time ago. I was just a kid." Jo glances over a t Sam and Dean then back to Isabeau, "Sorry to hear about your friend's dad."

Isabeau bites her lip, not wanting to outright tell Jo about the three's relationship. She didn't really know Jo yet and she didn't know what her views were, "Thanks. Uh, Sam and Dean…" She then thought to herself, when did she start caring what other people thought of her?

Isabeau clears her throat, "Sam and Dean are more than friends to me."

Jo raises a brow at her, "Oh… Oh!" Jo whispers out in realization.

Isabeau presses her lips together, "Yeah. If I totally just ruined whatever chance at a friendship here, sorry."

Jo takes a seat across from her with a chuckle, "Your good. As long as you don't mind talking to a bisexual hunter?"

Isabeau smiles and chuckles, "Honey, I'm pansexual… I think we're good here." The girls share a smile. Jo looks down briefly and stares at Isabeau. Just her luck that the only female hunter around her age for miles had to be in a relationship. Even though Isabeau was in a relationship already, Jo couldn't help but feel an attraction to Isabeau. Though she'll keep that to herself.

Isabeau crosses her arms, leaning on the table, "Met any hunters that peak your interest?"

Jo chuckles. Besides Isabeau, none. Jo shakes her head, "Most hunters come through that door think they can get in my pants with some... pizza, a six pack, and side one of Zeppelin IV."

Isabeau's lip curls into a smile, "Well... what a bunch of scumbags."

Jo snorts, "So tell me, how did you meet Sam and Dean?"

Isabeau smiles softly, "Grew up together. My parents…" She trails off, "You do know what I am, right?"

Jo nods, "Mom told me. I know not to tell anyone. Most hunters won't believe that there's a supernatural being hunting down her own kind to keep people safe."

Isabeau raises a brow at Jo, "But not you?"

Jo shrugs, "I guess not." Jo trusted her mother and just meeting Isabeau, Jo knew that she was a good person.

Sam looks over his shoulder, looking back and forth at Isabeau and Jo. He could feel the same monster called jealousy just like his brother had. He takes a breath, "Isabeau, come here, check this out."

Isabeau looks over with a smile, setting Sam at ease. "Yeah." She gets up, standing in between Sam and Dean, looking down at the papers in Sam's hands.

"A few murders, not far from here, that Ellen caught wind of. Looks to me like there might be a hunt." Sam explains.

Isabeau sighs, glancing over at Dean, not knowing if he was ready for a hunt or not. Dean shrugs his shoulders, not saying anything about it, letting Sam take the lead this time around. "Yeah. So?" She asks softly.

Sam sighs, "So, I told her we'd check it out."

* * *

The three were back in Isabeau's impala with the top of the car down to block out the rain. The night sky leaves only the car's headlights to guide the way in darkness. Isabeau drives as Sam sits in the passenger seat this time and Dean in the back.

Dean leans forward from the back, "You've gotta be kidding me. A killer clown?"

"Yeah." Sam has the research open in his lap, pointing a flashlight at it, "He left the daughter unharmed and killed the parents. Ripped them to pieces, actually."

Isabeau glances over, "And this family was at some carnival that night?"

"Right, right. The, uh, Cooper Carnivals." Sam confirms.

Isabeau bites her lip. Never once has she heard of an evil clown. Well, only ever from the 1980's movie, 'Killer Klowns from Outer Space'. That was a movie that Sam wouldn't poke with a ten foot pole. "So, how do you know we're not dealing with some psycho carnie in a clown suit?" She asks.

Sam looks over at her, "Well, the cops have no viable leads, and all the employees were tearing down shop. Alibis all around. Plus this girl said she saw a clown vanish into thin air. Cops are saying trauma, of course."

Dean smiles smugly from the back seat, "Well, I know what you're thinking, Sam. Why did it have to be clowns?"

Sam glances over, "Oh, give me a break."

Dean laughs, "You didn't think I'd remember, did you? I mean, come on, you still bust out crying whenever you see Ronald McDonald on the television."

Sam raises a brow at him, "Well, at least I'm not afraid of flying."

"Planes crash!" Dean defends himself.

Sam nods, "And apparently clowns kill!"

"Boys, enough." Isabeau sings out with a smile.

Dean and Sam smile at her, "Says the one who's afraid of dolls and mannequins." Dean says with a chuckle.

Isabeau's jaw drops, "Hey, that's porcelain dolls. And you are lying that you wouldn't be absolutely terrified if one of those things came to life and tried to kill you."

"You speaking from experience?" Sam asks, curious.

Isabeau bites her lip, "First year of middle school… going into a haunted house with rooms full of dolls coming to life and trying to kill you, yeah, 11 year old me was scared for life."

Dean snorts in amusement. Isabeau rolls her eyes at him, "Shut up back there. Inanimate objects that look like humans should not come to life, it's freaky!"

Isabeau waves a dismissive hand, "So these types of murders, they ever happen before?"

Sam looks back at the research, "Uh, according to the file, 1981, the Bunker Brothers Circus, same M.O. It happened three times, three different locales."

"It's weird, though, I'm mean if it is a spirit it's usually bound to a specific locale, you know, a house, or a town." Dean speaks up.

"So how's this one moving from city to city, carnival to carnival?" Isabeau asks the two of them.

Dean shrugs, "Cursed object, maybe. Spirit attaches itself to something and the, uh, carnival carries it around with them."

Sam shakes his head, "Great. Paranormal scavenger hunt."

"Well, this case was your idea. By the way, why is that? You were awfully quick to jump on this job." Dean asks.

Sam glances back at him, "So?"

"It's just... not like you, that's all. I thought you were hell-bent for leather on the demon hunt." Dean looks at him.

"I don't know, I just think, this job, it's what Dad would have wanted us to do." Sam says. Isabeau purses her lips, letting the two talk it out. John wasn't her father, it wasn't her place to say anything.

"What Dad would have wanted?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. So?"

Dean shakes his head, "Nothin'."

* * *

Isabeau's impala pulls up outside the carnival. They see what appear to be detectives talking to some carnies. "Check it out. Five-oh." Dean states.

They get out of the car, Dean and Isabeau head over to the officers to find out what was going on while Sam stands next to one of the carnival rides. Sam has his hands in his pockets as a three-foot-tall woman in a clown outfit passes him. He stares at her, nervous, and she stares back before moving on.

Dean and Isabeau approach. "Did you get her number?" Dean jokes.

Isabeau grimaces, she has nothing against clowns, so she never really understood Sam's fear of them, "I hope not. No offense, Sam, but we are not bringing that back to the bed for a night of fun."

Sam scowls at Dean before turning to Isabeau with a small smile, "Wouldn't dream of it, Beau… More murders?" He asks.

Isabeau nods, "Two more last night. Apparently they were ripped to shreds. And they had a little boy with them."

"Who fingered a clown." Sam says.

Dean and Isabeau pause, giving Sam a weird look.

"What?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, a clown, who apparently vanished into thin air." Dean confirms.

"Dean, you know, looking for a cursed object is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. They could be anything." Sam reminds him.

Dean nods, "Well, it's bound to give off EMF, so we'll just have to scan everything."

Isabeau chuckles, "Oh, good, that's nice and... inconspicuous."

Dean sees a 'Help wanted' sign, "I guess we'll just have to blend in."

* * *

The three enter a tent as a man is throwing knives at a target; they all land near but not quite on bulls-eye. Isabeau smiles at the man, impressed.

Dean smiles as well, "Excuse me, we're looking for a Mr. Cooper, have you seen him around?"

The man turns to them, "What is that, some kind of joke?" The three look at him confused.

The man pulls off his sunglasses. Isabeau's eyes widen; he was blind.

Dean shakes his head, realizing his mistake, "Oh. God, I'm, I'm sorry."

"You think I wouldn't give my eyeteeth to see Mr. Cooper? Or a sunset, or anything at all?" The blind man asks angrily.

Sam and Isabeau lips fidget, trying not to smile. Dean glances over at the two, "Wanna give me a little help here?" He asks quietly.

Sam shakes his head, "Not really."

"Hey Barry, is there a problem?" The three turn and see a short man asking the blind man named Barry, a question.

"Yeah, this guy hates blind people." Barry refers to Dean.

Dean chuckles, shaking his head, trying to defend himself, "No, I don't, I…"

"Hey, buddy, what's your problem?" The short man asks.

"Nothing, it's just a little misunderstanding."

Isabeau grimaces, turning into Sam's chest, muffling her giggles at Dean's poor choice in words. Sam bites his lips, wrapping his arms around Isabeau, finding her giggles adorable.

"Little?! You son of a bitch!" The short man yells at Dean.

Dean's eyes widen in panic, "No, no, no, no! I'm just, could somebody tell me where Mr. Cooper is?"

Sam laughs as Isabeau turns her head, letting her giggles out into the open air. Both of them finding the scene in front of them highly amusing.

Dean looks back and forth between Barry and the short man, begging, "Please?"


	5. Everybody Loves a Clown Pt.2

"You boys and lady picked a hell of a time to join up. Take a seat." Mr. Cooper says as they all enter his office.

Dean looks at the available chairs; two are normal, and the other one in the middle is pink, with a giant clown face on it. He beats Sam to one of the normal chairs. Sam scowls, fidgeting. Isabeau shakes her head, taking the chair with the clown face on it so Sam wouldn't have to.

Sam smiles at her, taking the other normal seat next to her. Isabeau didn't really care about the chair, but she knew Sam would be fidgeting the entire time.

"We've got all kinds of local trouble." Mr. Cooper tells them.

"What do you mean?" Isabeau asks, crossing her legs, leaning back into the chair and placing her hands in her lap. Sam and Dean glance over at Isabeau. Even though it was a ridiculous looking chair, Isabeau looked like she owned the damn thing.

Mr. Cooper sighs, "Oh, a couple of folks got themselves murdered. Cops always seem to start here first. So, you three ever worked the circuit before?"

Sam nods, "Yes sir, last year through Texas and Arkansas."

"Yeah." Dean confirms.

"Doing what? Ride jockeys? Butcher? A-and-S men?" Mr. Cooper asks. Mr. Cooper looks at Isabeau, "And what about you, young lady?"

Isabeau shrugs, "The boys kind of dabbled a little bit in everything. Acrobatics for me. Did gymnastics all throughout high school… almost made it to nationals."

Sam and Dean share a look. Isabeau talked about her time in gymnastics briefly. She never mentioned almost making it to nationals. They never really got to see any of her routines or just her abilities… then again in the bedroom they know how flexible she is.

Mr. Cooper nods, "So, you've performed before, but I'm guessing you two have never worked a show in your lives before, have you?" Mr. Cooper addresses Sam and Dean.

Dean forces a smile, "Nope. But we really need the work. Oh, and uh, Sam here's got a thing for the bearded lady." Dean laughs, but stops when he sees the looks Sam and Isabeau are giving him.

"You see that picture? That's my daddy." Mr. Cooper points to the picture just beside him.

Sam nods with a smile, "You look just like him."

"He was in the business. Ran a freakshow. Till they outlawed them, most places. Apparently displaying the deformed isn't dignified. So most of the performers went from honest work to rotting in hospitals and asylums." Isabeau nods at Mr. Cooper's words.

"That's progress. I guess. You see, this place, it's a refuge for outcasts. Always has been. For folks that don't fit in nowhere else. But you three? You should go to school. Find a couple of girls. You, a man. Have two point five kids. Live regular." Isabeau wanted to laugh out loud at Mr. Cooper.

'Live regular'. She was lucky if she went a day without magic or some kind of supernatural creature popping out of nowhere. School was over and done with for her and she already had herself a man, two men to be exact. And children… She wants kids, and if she's lucky enough to live long enough, she'll have them.

Dean is about to say something, but Sam leans forward, eyes serious, "Sir? We don't want to go to school. And we don't want regular. We want this."

Dean looks at Sam and Isabeau bites her lip. Well, Sam already made one step into not being regular, and that was dating her.

* * *

The three walk through the carnival after talking to Mr. Cooper. "Huh." Dean hums.

Sam looks over at him, "What?"

"That whole, uh, I don't want to go back to school thing. Were you just saying that to Cooper or were you, you know, saying it?" Dean asks. Sam doesn't answer right away.

Isabeau sighs, "Sam?"

"I don't know." Sam finally answers.

"You don't know? I thought that once the demon was dead and the fat lady sings that you were gonna take off, head back to Wussy State." Dean explains. Isabeau shoves her hands in her pocket. Would Sam really just leave her and go back to college? The three of them never talked about what would happen when they would finally kill the yellow-eyed demon.

Sam glances at Dean and pulls one of Isabeau's hands out from her pocket, squeezing it in his own, "I'm having second thoughts." Maybe it's time they have that talk.

"Really?" Dean asks and all three of them stop.

Sam nods, "Yeah. I think... Dad would have wanted me to stick with the job."

"Since when do you give a damn what Dad wanted? You spent half your life doing exactly what he didn't want, Sam." Dean asks, a little pissed.

Sam furrows his brow, "Since he died, okay? Do you have a problem with that?"

Dean stares hard at Sam before shaking his head with a forced smile, "Naw, I don't have a problem at all." Dean walks away from the two of them.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are wearing a red "COOPER CARNIVAL" jacket and picking up trash, while surreptitiously scanning with the EMF reader.

The two walk up to a funhouse and Isabeau nudges Sam, nodding to the funhouse. He nods at her, the two of them set down the equipment and head into the funhouse.

Isabeau smiles, her hands gliding against the walls of the funhouse as Sam still scans. Memories of many Halloween come flooding back to Isabeau. There were a handful of times that she helped out the town and took part in many of their haunted hayrides and funhouses that they set up every year.

The two pass by multiple people, Sam scanning everything in his path ahead of Isabeau. "Do you really not want to go back to school?" Isabeau suddenly asks.

Sam jumps a little at her sudden question and shrugs, "I don't know. Things are different now, Beau. Dean and I are both dating you, and…"

Isabeau sighs, "Bull."

Sam turns to her surprised at her answer, "What?"

Isabeau shrugs, "You heard me. Bull. Sam, I graduated college and I still hunted. It was a pain in the ass and still a lot of work, but I did it. And… who knows. With things piling up on my end, just questions upon questions that need answering. I don't know when I'll stop hunting to get the answers I need."

Isabeau takes a breath, "Look, all I'm saying is that no matter what you or Dean decide you want to do after this thing with yellow-eyes, I'm gonna be there for the both of you. I love you both and… I don't know what I would do without either of you." Isabeau licks her lips, "I just hope the same goes for me."

Sam blinks at her, "Isabeau… I would never leave you. After seeing you die, I felt empty, like a part of me was missing. And when you came back, I was afraid that it was all a dream." Sam pauses, "I just don't want you to be running back and forth to make Dean and I happy. I want to make you happy, Isabeau."

"But, I don't want you giving up what you want for me, Sam." Isabeau tells him.

Sam furrows his brow, "You did for us. You gave up a job as an Assistant art director. That's a big deal, Isabeau."

Isabeau shakes her head, "A job is a job, Sam. There's plenty more of them out there. And what I want is you and Dean."

Sam shakes his head, "And the same is for me, Isabeau. College will always be there for me. I don't want to waste any time that I have with you because I'm scared that I could lose you again."

The two stare at each other for a long moment. Isabeau sighs, breaking the silence, "We'll talk about this more later. God knows we need to talk about this… And I need to talk to Dean as well."

Sam nods and before Isabeau could continue forward, Sam pulls her into him, hooking an arm around her waist and presses his lips against hers. Isabeau hums out in surprise, grabbing a fistful of his shirt.

Isabeau hears the scream of children and slaps at Sam's arm. Sam hears the screams as well, pulling away with a smile. Isabeau shakes her head as Sam takes the lead.

Isabeau and Sam jump at a skeleton that falls from the ceiling. Sam scans it, not getting a reading, but looks like he has an idea.

* * *

Wearing a similar uniform jacket, Dean is putting trash into a dumpster when his cell phone rings. He picks up, "Hello?"

"Hey, man." Sam's voice sounds strained on the phone.

"What's the matter? You sound like you just saw a clown." Dean asks with a chuckle.

Sam rolls his eyes, "Very funny. Skeleton, actually." Isabeau leans against the stairs railing to the funhouse as Sam talks to Dean.

"Like a real human skeleton?" Dean asks.

"In the funhouse. Listen, I was thinking. What if the spirit isn't attached to a cursed object - what if it's attached to its own remains?" Sam suggests.

Dean starts walking towards the funhouse, "Did the bones give off EMF?"

"Well, no, but-"

"We should check it out anyway. I'm heading to you." As Dean hangs up the phone, the Blind Man, Barry, grabs his arm, causing Dean to stop and turn.

"What are you doing here, kid?" Barry asks him.

Dean stutters, "I'm... I was just sweeping."

Barry shakes his head, "Bull. And what were you talking about? Skeletons? What's EMF?"

Dean stares at Barry, "Dude, your blind man hearing is out of control."

"We're a tight-knit group. We don't like outsiders. We take care of our own problems."

Dean licks his lips, "We got a problem?"

Barry scoffs, "You tell me. You're the one talking about human bones."

Dean glances around before leaning forward, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"What?"

"My brother, my girlfriend and me... umm. We're writing a book about them." Dean lies to Barry with a smile.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau stand outside of the funhouse entrance, waiting for Dean. Having gotten away from Barry, Dean approaches Sam and Isabeau.

Isabeau raises her arms slightly, "What took you so long?"

"Long story." Dean says with a groan.

"Mommy, look at the clown!" A little girl calls out to her parents.

Isabeau, Dean and Sam both look over to see a little girl pointing at something. "What clown?" The little girl's mother asks.

They walk over and look to where the little girl is pointing, but don't see anything.

"Come on, sweetie, come on." The mother guides her daughter away.

Isabeau, Dean and Sam share a worried look.

* * *

Isabeau pulls up in a rickety, old minivan with Dean in the passenger seat and Sam in the back, stakeout outside the family's home. Sam looks around at the inside of the minivan, "I can't believe you transformed your own impala into a minivan."

Isabeau smiles to herself, proud of her work. "What can I say? Magic always comes in handy, boys. Do you want to know how many times I've transformed my Sweetheart into a different car for all the stakeouts I did with the girls? Too many times."

Before the three headed over to the family's home, she pulled out an old spell that she used to transform her car's appearance. The spell only lasted a good 24 hours on it's own, but Isabeau could change it back to her Sweetheart any time she liked. Magic was awesome when it came down to it. Though others would beg to differ.

Isabeau sighs, turning to Dean, "Though, Dean, I cannot believe you told Papasian about the homicidal phantom clown."

Dean grins at her, "I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown. I never said it was real." Dean pulls out a gun and cocks it.

Sam grabs at it from the back, pushing Dean's hands down, "Keep that down!" He scolds him.

Dean gives him a look before continuing, "Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81 and their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what."

"What?" Sam asks.

Dean sighs, "Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manager."

Isabeau smiles at Dean as Sam nods, "So you think whatever the spirit's attached to, Cooper just brought it with him?"

"Something like that." Dean shakes his head and sighs, "I can't believe we keep talking about clowns."

* * *

Later, Dean is dozing as a light goes on in the dining room. Sam and Isabeau shake him awake. "Dean." Isabeau says,pointing to the light.

Inside, the little girl goes to the front door, where the phantom clown is waiting. "Wanna come in and play?"

The clown nods, takes her hand and is led inside.

* * *

As the girl leads the clown down the hallway, Isabeau, Dean and Sam are already hiding in wait, weapons ready.

"Wanna see Mommy and Daddy? They're upstairs." The little girl asks the clown.

Sam leaps out and grabs the girl, who starts screaming, as Dean and Isabeau shoot the clown in the chest. It falls on its back, then gets up as Dean and Isabeau are cocking their shotguns again.

"Sam, watch out!" Isabeau shouts. The clown leaps out the window, the glass breaking, turning invisible as it runs away.

The parents come rushing out. "What's going on here? Get away from my-" The father of the little girl says.

"Oh my god, what are you doing to my daughter?!" The mother asks, Sam stepping away in fear.

"Who the hell are you? Get out! Get out of my house!" The father yells.

Isabeau, Dean and Sam leave the girl and run away terribly fast.

The little girl looks at her parents with tears in her eyes, "Mommy, Daddy, they shot my clown!"

* * *

The next morning, Isabeau, pulls over the minivan off the side of a road and jumps out.

"Beau? What are you doing?" Sam asks as him and Dean step out of the car. They watch as Isabeau plants her hands on the side of the minivan.

She looks over at them, her eyes glowing violet. "Changing this minivan back to Sweetheart." Isabeau starts chanting in latin and the brothers watch as the metal of the car bends and warps, the rusty green paint job changing to black. What once a rusty minivan was now once again her 1958 impala.

Isabeau removes her hands, cracking her fingers as her eyes stop glowing, "Plates are back to normal and nobody will be able to find even a trace of the minivan."

"You really think you had to change your car back?" Sam asks as Isabeau pulls down the top of her impala, making it roofless. The three head back into the impala, rolling down the windows and Isabeau starts the engine, "I don't wanna take the chance. Besides, I hate minivans."

She starts driving down the road, Dean in the back now and Sam in the front with Isabeau. Isabeau sighs, enjoying the fresh air as she drives, "Well, one thing's for sure." She says.

Sam looks over at her, "What's that?"

Isabeau's fingers tap against the wheel, "We're not dealing with a spirit. I mean, that rock salt hit something solid."

"Yeah, a person? Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?" Sam suggests.

Dean scoffs, "Yeah, and dresses up like a clown for kicks? Did it say anything in Dad's journal?"

Sam shakes his head, "Nope." Sam clears his throat, pulls out his cell phone.

Dean stares at his brother, "Who are you calling?"

Sam glances at Dean, "Maybe Ellen or that guy Ash'll know something. Hey, you think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?"

Dean purses his lips, "No way."

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?"

Dean shrugs, "I don't know, maybe they had some sort of falling out."

Sam looks down at his phone, "Yeah. You ever notice Dad had a falling out with just about everybody?"

Dean nods casually as Sam lowers the phone, "Well, don't get all maudlin on me, man." Isabeau huffs, here we go. Brother bickering time.

"What do you mean?"

Sam raises his voice, "I mean this "strong silent" thing of yours. It's crap, I'm over it."

"Oh, god." Dean groans.

"This isn't just anyone we're talking about, this is Dad. I know how you felt about the man." Sam says.

Dean scowls, "You know what, back off, all right? Just because I'm not caring and sharing like you want me to."

Sam shakes his head, "No, no, no, that's not what this is about, Dean. I don't care how you deal with this. But you have to deal with it, man. Listen, I'm your brother, all right? I just want to make sure you're okay."

Dean raises his voice, "Dude, I'm okay. I'm okay, okay? I swear, the next person who asks me if I'm okay, I'm gonna start throwing punches. These are your issues, quit dumping them on me!"

Isabeau's jaw ticks, as she hears the two fight. Sam stares at Dean, "What are you talking about?"

"I just think it's really interesting, this sudden obedience you have to Dad. It's like, oh, what would Dad want me to do? Sam, you spent your entire life slugging it out with that man. I mean, hell, you, you picked a fight with him the last time you ever saw him. And now that he's dead, now you want to make it right? Well, I'm sorry Sam, but you can't, it's too little, too late." Dean scolds him.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Sam asks.

Dean shouts, "Because I want you to be honest with yourself about this. I'm dealing with Dad's death! Are you?"

Sam swallows, upset.

Isabeau hits the brakes, causing the impala to come to a screeching halt. Sam and Dean stare at Isabeau in shock as she parks the impala on the side of the road and shuts off the engine. Isabeau huffs, turning to the both of them, "Big talk… all of us when we get back to Gramps."

Dean sighs, "Sweetheart-"

"Don't you 'sweetheart' me, Dean." Isabeau glares at him. Dean swallows, suddenly feeling very small under Isabeau's gaze.

"I love you both, and you two are going to tear each other apart before we even get close to figuring out what the hell we're hunting. So, you two better nut up or shut up until we get back to Gramps. Do I make myself clear?" Isabeau asks, raising a brow, daring either one of her boyfriends to argue against her.

Sam licks his lips, nodding and Dean does the same.

Isabeau sighs, running her fingers through her hair, "I'm going to call Ellen." She jumps out of the impala, taking the keys with her and walking a little ways away from them, dialing Ellen's number on her phone.

* * *

Hanging up her phone, Isabeau walks back to her impala, hopping in and starting up the engine. "Rakshasa." She simply states, pulling back onto the road and continuing their drive.

Dean leans forward, "What's that?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Ellen's best guess. It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited."

"So they dress up like clowns, and the children invite 'em in." Sam concludes.

"Yeah."

"Why don't they just munch on the kids?" Dean asks.

Isabeau's knuckles turn white from gripping the wheel, "No idea. Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?" She growls out.

Dean stares at Isabeau, knowing kids were always a touchy subject for Isabeau, "What else'd you find out?"

"Well, apparently, Rakshasa's live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects." Isabeau says. That was a plus for her. If she could hear the insects, they could easily find out who the Rakshasa is.

"Nice." Dean comments.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, and they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years. Slow metabolism, I guess."

Sam nods, "Well, that makes sense. I mean, the Carnival today, the Bunker Brothers in '81."

"Right. Probably more before that."

"Hey Sam, who do we know that worked both shows?" Dean asks Sam, looking at him.

"Cooper?" Sam guesses.

"Cooper." Dean confirms.

Sam scoffs, "You know, that picture of his father, that looked just like him."

"You think maybe it was him?" Dean asks.

Sam shrugs, "Well, who knows how old he is?"

Dean looks back at Isabeau, "Ellen say how to kill him?"

Isabeau rubs her face, "Legend goes, a dagger made of pure brass."

Dean thinks for a second, "I think I know where to get one of those."

Sam slightly smiles, "Well, before we go stabbing things into Cooper, we're going to want to make damn sure it's him."

"Oh, you're such a stickler for details, Sammy." The brothers smile at each other.

Isabeau smiles, happy that the two are getting along. "All right, Dean will round up the blade, Sam and I will go check if Cooper's got bedbugs."

Dean smiles at Isabeau, moving and leaning over to kiss Isabeau on the neck. Isabeau lightly wacks him in the head, "Hey! No kissing the driver! That is my rule when it comes to driving Sweetheart."

* * *

They head back to the carnival at night, Sam picks the lock on Cooper's trailer with Isabeau standing behind him and the two go inside.

In Cooper's trailer, Sam pulls out a pocket knife and starts slicing open the mattress. A shotgun cocks behind them. Isabeau turns in fear as Cooper is there, pointing the gun at them, "What do you think you're doing?"

Isabeau grimaces, "Sorry." Her eyes glow violet and she says something in latin. Mr. Cooper's eyes flutter closed and he falls to the ground unconscious.

Sam looks at Isabeau in surprise, "That's new."

Isabeau turns to him with a shrug, eyes back to normal, "Only use it when needed. I don't like using it. Simple spell really. He won't remember us coming in here." She shakes her head, "Come on. I don't think Mr. Cooper is the Rakshasa."

"Beau, we haven't even checked-"

Isabeau taps her ears, "I understand insects, remember? If they were in here, I would hear them."

* * *

Dean struggles with the door in Barry's trailer, trying to get out. A knife flies past his head to bury in the door. He jumps and another lands with a thunk a little higher.

"All right!" Dean shouts, managing to get the door open and books it out of there, tumbling. Outside, Sam and Isabeau see him.

"Hey!" Sam calls out.

Dean skids to a stop, tuning to them, "Hey."

Isabeau chuckles nervously, "So, it's not Cooper. No insects talking to me and I might have knocked him unconscious."

Dean gives her a look, "Unconscious?"

Isabeau shrugs innocently, "With a spell. He won't even remember a thing."

Dean nods, "It's the blind guy. He's here somewhere." He tells the both of them.

"Well, did you get the -" Sam starts to ask.

"The brass blades? No. No, it's just been one of those days." Dean says.

Isabeau tilts her head, "I got an idea. Come on."

* * *

They enter the funhouse and as they go through, a door slams between Sam and Isabeau, and Dean. "Sam! Isabeau!" Dean shouts.

The three struggle to open the door. "Dean! Dean, find the maze, okay?" Sam tells him. Sam and Isabeau glance at each other, walking away from the door and going to find the organ that they came across when scanning the funhouse.

The two find the pipe organ, which is giving off steam. Sam grabs for one of the pipes, but it's too hot, "Gah!" Sam grunts, flinching from the heat.

Isabeau pushes him back and easily touches the pipe, the heat not affecting her at all. Sam chuckles, "Heat doesn't affect you."

Isabeau smiles and starts pulling off a pipe, "Stretch, I could be thrown into a pit of fire and I come out fine. This is nothing."

Dean comes around the corner, "Hey." He says when he walks up to Sam and Isabeau.

"Hey! Where is it?" Isabeau asks him, still pulling at the pipe.

"I don't know, I mean, shouldn't we see its clothes walking around?" A knife flies past Dean, pinning his sleeve to the wall.

"Dean!" Sam calls out, going to help his brother, but is stopped as another knife pins Sam's wrist to the wall beside Dean.

The brothers struggle to get the knives out. They were lodged into the wall fairly deep. "Isabeau!" They call out in unison.

Isabeau groans, they just had to talk together in the middle of danger. Again, she likes that too much. She pulls the pipe all the way off and stalks forward slowly. A knife flies toward her head and with a flick of her wrist, it flies in the opposite direction, away from her, Sam and Dean.

"Guys, where is it?" Isabeau asks, hoping the two of them have seen it.

"I don't know!" Dean shouts. Sam glances over, noticing a lever. He reaches up and pulls it, making more steam pour from the pipe organ, giving a vague shape to the invisible attacker, which Dean sees, "Isabeau, behind you! Behind you!"

Isabeau stabs the pipe behind her without looking. She turns and sees it buried in the still-invisible creature, blood pouring from the wound.

Dean and Sam manage to free themselves and they look to where it's fallen and see only empty clothes and a bloody pipe.

"I hate funhouses." Dean groans.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam are sitting at the bar and Ellen lays down a couple of beers, "You guys did a hell of a job." Ellen nods at Isabeau and then looks at Sam and Dean, "Your dad would be proud."

"Thanks." Sam says.

Jo comes up behind Isabeau and whispers something in her ear. Isabeau smiles and gives her a nod. Sam and Dean share a look at the girls interaction. Isabeau chuckles as Jo walks away, "I'll be right back, boys."

She leans in, placing a comforting kiss on their lips, careful not to let any of the other patrons see and walks away from the two of them and over to Jo.

Sam and Dean watch as Isabeau takes a seat at a table with Jo, something new pooling in their stomachs again. "Why is it that whenever Isabeau is intimate with her… coven." Sam whispers the last part, "We're fine with it, but when it comes to other men and women, I feel over protective."

Dean takes a sip of his beer, "We love her, that's why." He wants to say that he's scared of losing her. They almost lost her a week back and this was really the first time since then that they've let her be so far from them. Even if it was a few tables away.

Sam nods, "She's the same with us. The fire burns in her eyes when something happens. She worries all the time." Sam snorts, thinking back to earlier, "Puts us in our place."

Dean chuckles, "Can't deny that."

Over at the table where Jo and Isabeau are sitting, Isabeau hands Jo her cell phone, "Seriously, if you ever just want to talk about anything or, you know, girl time or whatever."

Jo chuckles, putting in her number, "So, I guess that means I'll be seeing you again?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Who knows, I'm a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma… you never know with me."

Jo hands back Isabeau's cell phone, leaning forward, "Maybe I want to solve that riddle."

Isabeau chuckles at Jo, "You are a brave one, Jo. I'll tell you that. Most would end up running away at the challenge." Hell, Isabeau was afraid of whatever mysteries that remained elusive to her.

Jo smiles at Isabeau. She knew she was digging a deeper hole for herself to climb out of, "I like a challenge."

Isabeau's head turns as she hears the back door open and Ash enters, carrying the folder and a bizarre looking laptop. Isabeau turns to Jo, "I gotta-"

Jo nods, understanding. Isabeau smiles, getting up and walks over to Sam and Dean, sitting back down in between them.

"Where you guys been? Been waitin' for ya." Ash asks the three of them.

"We were working a job, Ash. Clowns?" Sam says with a smile.

Ash furrows his brow, "Clowns? What the-"

"Fuck?" Isabeau finishes for him, "Yeah. You got something for us, Ash?"

Ash sets the laptop down on a table. It looks homemade, with exposed wiring. "Did you find the demon?" Sam asks.

Ash shakes his head, "It's nowhere around. At least, nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises his head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like Divine on dog dookie."

"What do you mean?"

Ash glances at all of them, turning his laptop, "I mean, any of those signs or omens appear, anywhere in the world, my rig'll go off. Like a fire alarm."

Dean's eyes widen at his set up and reaches for the laptop, "Do you mind…"

Ash gives him a look and Dean pulls his hand back from the keyboard, "Yeah."

"What's up, man?" Ash dares Dean to touch his laptop again.

Sam smiles, "Ash, where did you learn to do all this?"

"M.I.T. Before I got bounced for... fighting."

Isabeau smiles in awe, "M.I.T. Holy shit."

Ash smiles at her and tips his imaginary hat to her, "Thank you."

"Okay. Give us a call as soon as you know something?" Dean asks.

"Si, si, compadre."

Dean takes another sip of his beer, then sets it down. Ash picks it up and drinks it as Dean, Isabeau and Sam head for the door.

Ellen watches them, "Hey, listen-" The three turn to her at the door. "If you guys need a place to stay I've got a couple beds out back."

Dean smiles politely at her, "Thanks, but no. There's something I gotta finish."

Ellen nods with a smile, "Okay."

Isabeau gives the three a two fingered salute, following Sam and Dean.

* * *

Dean is working on the impala again, and Sam is pacing nearby. Isabeau was off somewhere else, no doubt spending some time with Eugene before he leaves in a couple of days. Sam takes a breath, "You were right."

Dean gets up walking past him, "About what?"

"About me and Dad. I'm sorry that the last time I was with him I tried to pick a fight. I'm sorry that I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean, for all I know he died thinking that I hate him. So you're right. What I'm doing right now, it's too little. It's too late." Sam's lips tremble.

Sam takes another breath, "I miss him, man. And I feel guilty as hell. And I'm not alright... Not at all." He says with ears in his eyes, "But neither are you. That much I know."

He pauses, "I'll let you get back to work." And with that Sam leaves.

Dean is still for a moment watching Sam leave. A crowbar comes into his peripheral vision and he looks over to see who's holding it. Isabeau looks up at him, holding out the crowbar to Dean, "Let it out, Dean."

Dean stares at her and takes the crowbar from her hands and she backs away, knowing to keep her distance.

For a second Dean pauses, but then smashes the window of a nearby car. He then starts slamming it into the trunk of his own car, over and over, making a hole. Isabeau watches on, not stopping Dean from damaging the impala. She knew that Dean could fix it and make it seem like it never happened.

The crowbar clatters to the ground, Dean breathing heavily and looks after where Sam has gone, lip trembling.

Isabeau raises her hand and with a curl of her finger, the crowbar flies into her hand and in a fluid motion, she smashes one of the car windows next to her. Dean turns his head to Isabeau, watching as she steps onto the car and continues smashing in the windows.

Dean wasn't the only one with pent up anger. Isabeau was frustrated, no one could give her answers to anything and things were leading nowhere.

Isabeau breathes heavily as she stares down at her work. Plus, every once in a while, it felt good just to break something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for being gone for a whole week. Things have been a little crazy and my brain was like not wanting to work with me when writing this episode. I think it was because I wanted it to be good and my brain was just fried and what was coming out was absolute gibberish. Plus, I took the week to dive into the Supernatural Anime series and it's interesting... I like it and think it's just weird because Jensen doesn't voice Dean until the last two episodes which I find odd?
> 
> Next chapter will be an original, it'll be that 'talk' that Isabeau wanted because she wants to straighten out a few things with Sam and Dean. Nothing bad just some reassurance for both ends of the relationship after everything that has happened. Plus some domestic fluff mixed in. I'll be posting that along with 'Bloodlust' so you guys have more to read.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	6. Beginning to Remember

"Okay, place your feet on top of mine. I'm gonna lead." Isabeau chuckles as Eugene's bare feet stand on top of Isabeau's own bare feet.

"But I always thought the men lead?" Eugene asks, speaking over Frank Sinatra as it plays in Bobby's living room.

Isabeau laughs, moving her feet slowly to the beat of the song, holding Eugene in her arms as his own arms latch around her waist, "Well, for the most part they do, but I need to teach you how to dance first before you even begin thinking about leading."

Sam leans against the doorway, watching Isabeau and Eugene with a fond smile. Isabeau was always full of surprises, despite knowing her since they were children, Isabeau always had some new talent up her sleeves.

"Did Nanna teach you? She's teaching Alphonse." Eugene asks. When Alphonse turned 13, their Nanna immediately started teaching Alphonse different ballroom dances.

Isabeau smiles, "I…" She trails off.

" _Come here, sugarplum. Place your feet on top of mine." A man laughs as little 8-year-old Isabeau places her bare feet on top of his own._

_Isabeau giggles as the man sways along to the music, taking Isabeau with him, "Your feet are cold, Uncle!"_

_The man laughs, "And yours are warm, sugarplum."_

Isabeau furrows her brow, her mind fishing out a memory that she didn't even remember. "She taught me most of it." Isabeau didn't know why she said that. She was certain that her Nanna taught her everything she knows… Didn't she?

Isabeau shakes her head and smiles, "Nanna will be teaching you next year when you turn 13. The same thing for Dion in three more years."

"Gene! Come here, kid!" Bobby yells from the kitchen. Bobby was a fairly decent cook, and with Eugene getting better at cooking, Bobby has let Eugene help him out with making dinner for all of them.

Eugene smiles, "Coming, Gramps!" Eugene pulls away from Isabeau and runs to Bobby.

Isabeau turns and playfully frowns at Sam, "My dance partner left me."

Sam chuckles, pushing off from the doorway and walks over to Isabeau, placing his hands on her waist, "I hope I will suffice?"

Isabeau smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing their bodies up against each other, "I think you'll be just fine."

Sam smiles softly and the two stare at each other in silence as they sway along with the music. Sam, being the tall giant that he is, he was always a little awkward when it came to a simple dance. But with Isabeau's little pointers, he was able to do the basics.

"We still need to talk, you know." Isabeau says, breaking the silence.

Sam glances down, "Should I be worried?"

Isabeau chuckles, shaking her head, "No. Just… need to clear the air I guess." Isabeau pauses, taking a second to think about how she said her next words.

"I know that you and Dean are on edge lately with John passing away. And with the Colt missing and yellow-eyes somewhere out there. I just don't want the both of you to take a step back and not go into this guns blazing." Isabeau bites her lip, "I know what that feels like and you lose yourself in that anger."

Sam doesn't say anything, letting Isabeau continue. He knew that she was right, that they couldn't just jump into the fight. They needed time and patience for the right moment.

"But besides that… I'm worried about the both of you." Isabeau's fingers play with the back of his hair, "Sam, like I said before and I'll say it again. I want you to do what you want when this is all over. Go back to college. Hell, if you don't want to stay at college and do online schooling, I'll support you. Help you."

"What about you?" Sam asks, moving his hands so that his arms were fully encircled around her waist, "When we're done, will you do what you want? Get that job?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Maybe… I don't know. Might hunt here and there, still need answers, Sam. Who brought me back? Why does every demon that we come across say that I'm special? My powers changing? And this whole 'Mother' thing."

Isabeau then smiles, "But even with the occasional hunt here and there, I still want all three of us to be together. Maybe…" Isabeau takes a breath, "Get a place for ourselves. Just us three?"

Sam smiles, not believing what he was hearing, "A place? Our own place for the three of us?"

Isabeau chuckles at his bubbling excitement, "I mean, we've all practically lived with each other for the past year, hoping from motel to motel. The only difference is we call it home. Make it ours… Of course after we kill yellow-eyes."

Sam leans down to place his lips on Isabeau's. His lips part her own, and both of them hum contently. "I see that you like that idea." Isabeau says, breaking away from the kiss for a moment.

"I love it." Sam simply says, his hands roaming underneath the back of Isabeau's shirt. "What about Dean?"

Isabeau furrows her brow, "What do you mean?"

Sam sighs, "I mean, Dean might not stop hunting."

Isabeau shrugs, "If that's what Dean wants, I'm not gonna stop him. Though if he decides to do the same things as me, would it really be that bad?"

"Well, no but..." Sam trails off.

"I know, I want Dean to step away from hunting too, but deep down I know he won't stop. Maybe slow down, but not stop." Isabeau explains, "But that's something I need to talk to him about."

Isabeau smiles softly, "I can't give you one hundred percent normal, Sam. But I can try and maybe give you fifty percent?"

Sam chuckles, "I've learned that normal isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'll take your supernatural ways any day… with a side of having a home to call our own."

Isabeau smiles, "Sounds good to me."

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, Sam and Isabeau turn their heads towards the archway to see Dean. "May I, uh, cut in?" Dean asks his brother.

Sam smiles weakly with a nod and pulls away from Isabeau. While walking past his brother, he pats him on the shoulder and heads to the kitchen to Bobby and Eugene.

Dean watches Sam go, before turning his head towards Isabeau, "Forgive me, but I don't know if I can hold a match to your dancing skills."

Isabeau chuckles as Dean walks over to her. He places an arm around her waist and holds Isabeau's hand in the other, pulling it into his chest. Isabeau's free hand rests on Dean's shoulder, and the two fall into a small dance, swaying just like Sam and Isabeau were moments before.

"Oh hush, I can count the numerous times I've caught you dancing by yourself." Isabeau smiles.

Dean playfully glares at her, "We agreed not to mention that." He chuckles as she lightly slaps his shoulder.

Dean stares down at Isabeau with soft eyes. He wondered how he got so lucky. He could feel his heart beating against his chest just by simply looking at Isabeau. "So…" Dean trails off.

"So…?" Isabeau echoes him.

He huffs, "So, this talk."

Isabeau nods with a hum, "Nothing big, but… I already told Sam to take a step back from trying to find yellow-eyes. I don't want us running around like chickens with their heads cut off. What we're stepping into is dangerous and we can't afford to make any… mistakes."

Isabeau sighs at her choice of words, "What I mean is that, I don't want any of getting hurt by jumping into this when we're not ready."

"And I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything you need. I understand that you're not as open about your feelings as Sam is, and I know it takes time, but I'm all ears whenever you're ready." Isabeau pauses in the middle of her little speech, letting it all sink in for Dean.

Dean leans forward and presses his forehead against Isabeau, taking a breath, "I'm just lost." He says quietly as if someone was going to walk in on their private conversation.

"I'll help you, Dean. I always will." Isabeau says in a whisper.

Dean chuckles softly, "You're already helping me, Beau."

"How?"

Dean slows his swaying, "By being with me... Holding me."

Isabeau's hand that was resting on his shoulder, slowly makes its way to cup Dean's cheek, caressing it with her thumb softly. Everything seems to drown out around them; the music sounded so far away from them, the living room they were standing in was blurred in their vision, only their faces were in focus.

No longer could they feel the floor underneath their feet, or smell the food that drifted from the kitchen into the room. All they could feel was each other, everything else was obsolete.

Dean moves his arm, still holding onto Isabeau's hand, pulling it behind her back, and holding Isabeau's body close to his.

"Did you really mean what you said? About getting a home to call our own?" Dean asks. He caught the tail end of Isabeau and Sam's conversation.

Isabeau takes a breath, "Why would I lie about something like that? I meant it, Dearie. Every single word." She says softly.

Dean's lips softly brushed up against hers, "I love you." Dean whispers out, as if it were a secret for only Isabeau to hear. Isabeau never heard Dean say it much, he was more of a man of showing his affection than telling her how he felt, but he had his moments.

Isabeau's eyes flutter shut as their lips touch, she parts her lips, letting Dean take whatever he wanted from her as she did the same to him. Her hand threads through his short hair as Dean slightly lifts her body, making her stand on her toes.

Hunting or no hunting, when things we're all said and done, Sam and Dean only had one thing on their minds. That one day they were going to settle down with Isabeau, no matter how long it would take to get there.

* * *

"Mom and Dad are picking you up tomorrow, right?" Isabeau asks, picking up stray books that were scattered around the room that Eugene was staying in.

Eugene nods from his bed, "Around noon. Mom said we're going to pick up Alphonse and Dion on the way home."

Isabeau smiles, placing the pile of books she picked up, off to the side, "Good… since it's your last night at Gramps, I think that calls for your song."

Eugene smiles brightly, sinking in deeper under the covers and waits patiently for Isabeau. Isabeau chuckles and goes over to sit on the side of the bed, clearing her throat.

" _At night when the lake is a mirror_

_And the moon rides the waves to the shore_

_A single soul sets his voice singing_

_Content to be slightly forlorn"_

Outside the room, Sam and Dean are leaning against the wall, listening in on Isabeau's song. Isabeau rarely sang for them, saying that her singing voice was for her brothers only. It was a shame really, Sam and Dean love listening to her voice.

" _A song rises over the lilies_

_Sweeps high to clear over the reeds_

_And over the bulrushes swaying_

_To pluck at a pair of heartstrings"_

Isabeau smiles as Eugene's eyes flutter closed. She knew that he wouldn't fully fall asleep until she finishes the song.

" _Two voices, now they are singing_

_Then ten, as the melody soars_

_Round the shimmering pond all are joining in song_

_As it carries their reverie on"_

Isabeau gets up from the bed slowly, making her way to the light-switch while singing out the final verse of the song.

" _Over the treetops and mountains_

_Over the blackened ravines_

_Then softly it falls by a house near a stream_

_And over the garden wall… to thee"_

On the last word of the song, Isabeau turns off the light and slips through the door. She closes the door, careful not to make any loud noise, knowing that Eugene was sleeping.

Isabeau sighs, "Come on, bedtime for all of us." She jokes. Sam's lips curls into a smile, draping an arm around her shoulder as Dean holds her hand.

Sam and Dean share a look as they enter their shared bedroom. Not only did they want to settle down with Isabeau, but they were also thinking the same thing. Though it would be far into the future that they would even bring up the subject.

Isabeau would be an amazing _mother._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just something small for you guys before 'Bloodlust' which I hope to get out sometime tomorrow. So for it taking so long to get these out. Kind of in the middle of getting out of a funk and hopefully I'll pick things up and make progress by the end of the week.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	7. Bloodlust Pt.1

Isabeau smiles at Dean as he happily drives his impala. It's been weeks upon weeks of hard work, and Dean was able to piece the impala back together and it looked practically brand new.

Of course to celebrate his hard work and accomplishment when he finished, Isabeau and Dean christened the backseat of the impala per Dean's request. Plus, having sex in the same house where Bobby was sleeping a few rooms over wasn't the best idea.

Dean nods his head, grooving along to his music, "Whoo! Listen to her purr! Have you ever heard anything so sweet?"

Sam has his arm draped over the seat, foot propped up on the seat and torso turned to the side, letting Isabeau lean back into his chest, and in between his legs. Isabeau had one of her feet bent and propped up on the seat and let the other leg rest in Dean's lap.

Sam shakes his head with a chuckle, "You know, if you two wanna get a room, just let me know, Dean."

Dean pats the steering wheel lightly with fondness, "Oh, don't listen to him, baby. He doesn't understand us."

Isabeau chuckles, reaching with one hand absentmindedly to play Sam's fingers, "You're in a good mood."

Dean squeezes her ankle with the hand that was resting on it, "Why shouldn't I be?"

Isabeau pursues her lips and shakes her head, "No reason."

"Got my car, got a case, we had amazing hot sex," Dean glances at Isabeau with a wink and Sam rolls his eyes with an amused smile. "Things are looking up."

"Wow." Sam laughs, "Give you a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and you're Mister Sunshine." Isabeau grimaces at the mention of dead cows. Sam notices and grabs a hold of Isabeau's hand that was playing with his fingers and gives it a comforting kiss.

Dean laughs, "How far to Red Lodge?"

"Uh, about another three hundred miles." Sam sighs, thinking off the top of his head.

"Good." With a grin, Dean floors the impala.

* * *

In Red Lodge, a sheriff with what Isabeau thought was a very impressive mustache, is talking to the three of them, who are posing as reporters. "The murder investigation is ongoing, and that's all I can share with the press at this time." The sheriff states.

Isabeau pushes up the fake glasses she was wearing, crossing her legs with a pen and notepad in her hand. She nods, "Sure, sure, we understand that, but just for the record, you found the first, uh, head last week, correct?"

The sheriff nods with a hum, "Mm-hmm."

Isabeau writes on her notepad, "Okay, and the other, a uh, Christina Flanigan,"

"That was two days ago. Is there-" A young woman knocks on the door, interrupting the sheriff and she points at her watch. "Oh. Sorry boys, lady, time's up, we're done here."

Isabeau sits up in her seat, "One last question-"

"Yeah, what about the cattle?" Dean finishes for her.

The sheriff tilts his head, "Excuse me?"

"You know, the cows found dead, split open, drained ... over a dozen cases." Dean says, recalling what's been going on in the town.

"What about them?" The sheriff asks.

Sam raises his brows, "So you don't think there's a connection?"

The sheriff looks over at Sam, "Connection ... with...?" The sheriff drawls on.

"First cattle mutilations, now two murders? Kinda sounds like ritual stuff." Sam suggests that the two things were linked together.

"You know, like satanic cult ritual stuff?" Dean suggests, pursing his lips.

The sheriff laughs at their words, pointing a finger at them, "You…" His smiles and laughter falls when he sees that the three of them are not laughing and smiling along with him, "You're not kidding."

Dean softly shakes his head, "No."

The sheriff puts down his hand, "Those cows aren't being mutilated. You wanna know how I know?"

"How?" Isabeau immediately asks.

The sheriff shakes his head, "Because there's no such thing as cattle mutilation. Cow drops, leave it in the sun, within forty eight hours the bloat'll split it open so clean it's just about surgical. The bodily fluids fall down into the ground and get soaked up because that's what gravity does. But, hey, it could be Satan. What newspaper did you say you work for?"

Sam pulls at the neck of his suit, uncomfortable as Isabeau looks away with a grimace, looking like she wanted to throw up.

"World Weekly News…" Dean trails off.

"Weekly World News." Sam corrects him.

"World -"

"Weekly World -"

Dean smiles, "Weekly... I'm new." Isabeau rubs her temple, easing her nerves.

The sheriff stares at all of them, "Get out of my office."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam enter the morgue, still wearing their shirts and ties, and Isabeau still wearing her glasses from the interview with the sheriff, but now also in white lab coats. The intern on duty has a name tag that reads 'J. Manners.'

Dean looks at it, calculating, "John."

The intern smiles, "Jeff." He corrects Dean, standing up from his seat.

Dean laughs, "Jeff. I know that. Dr. Dworkin needs to see you in his office right away."

"But Dr. Dworkin's on vacation." The intern says.

"Well, he's back. And he's pissed, and he's screaming for you, man, so if I were you I would…" Dean whistles as the intern runs away.

Dean turns to Sam and Isabeau, "Okay." The door closes, just leaving the three of them. "Hey, those satanists in Florida, they marked their victims, didn't they?"

Isabeau and Sam walk up to Dean, "Yeah, reversed pentacle on the forehead." Sam affirms.

Dean hands Sam and Isabeau a pair of latex gloves and puts on a pair of his own, "Yeah. So much f'd up crap happens in Florida."

Sam opens a compartment and wheels out a corpse; there's a box between its legs.

"All right, open it." Dean juts his head toward the box.

Sam looks at him, brow furrowed, "You open it."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "I got it." Isabeau carries the box over to another table and flips off the lid, staring down at it, unfazed. Dean grimaces and Sam cringes, approaching.

"Well, no pentagram." Isabeau states, tilting her head at the box.

"Wow. Poor girl." Sam says.

"Maybe we should, uh, you know, look in her mouth, see if those wackos stuffed anything down her throat. You know, kinda like the moth in Silence of the Lambs." Dean pats Sam's arm with a smile at his horror movie reference.

"Yeah, here, go ahead." Sam turns the box toward Dean.

"No, you go ahead." Dean turns it to Sam.

"What?"

"'Put the lotion in the basket.'" Dean quotes a line from Silence of the Lambs.

Isabeau rolls her eyes once again, grabbing the box and turning it to herself, "Seriously? Can't handle a severed head?"

Isabeau starts poking her fingers into the mouth. Sam and Dean stare as she does this, completely unfazed.

"How can you do that?" Sam whispers out, questioning how his girlfriend was able to just dive right into a corpse so easily.

Isabeau shrugs, still poking around, "I think that after being around Lucy and Gabriella, I'm completely numb to poking around a corpse. Plus, some hunts never went as smoothly as intended. Something straight from Evil Dead, I tell you."

Lucy was a vampire hybrid and Gabriella was a werewolf hybrid. Both of them worked in the morgue at the hospital in their hometown. Made it easy for the both of them to feed. Lucy got blood from people who donated to the hospital and Gabriella was able to eat any hearts that weren't up for organ donations.

She glances up, noticing Sam's discomfort. She chuckles, "Dean, get me a bucket?"

Dean looks over Isabeau's shoulder, "You find something?"

Isabeau smiles, "No, I think Stretch over there is going to puke."

Dean chuckles, but then stops, "Wait, lift the lip up again?"

Isabeau glances at him, "What? You want him to throw up, is that it?"

Sam glares at her, "Not funny, Beau."

Isabeau snorts, "Oh, I think it's hilarious, love." Sam's grimace falters, turning into a hint of a smile for a quick second at her little nickname.

Dean shakes his head, "No, no, no, I think I saw something."

Isabeau pulls back the lip, showing the gums to all of them. Along the top of her gums were little holes above her teeth. Isabeau huffs out in disbelief, pressing on the gum and a narrow, sharp tooth descends.

Sam blinks at it, "It's a tooth."

"Sam, that's a fang." Isabeau lets go of the lip, "Retractable set of vampire fangs. You gotta be kidding me."

Sam looks at her, "Well, this changes things."

"Ya think?" Dean asks him sarcastically.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam pull up near a local bar, no longer wearing their suits and Isabeau ditches the glasses. The three glance at each having a silent conversation. Dean turns his head back to the road and goes around to park.

Once they park the impala, they get out and proceed to walk into the bar. Dean, Isabeau and Sam approach the bar and a man sitting at a table to one side is watching them.

"How's it going?" Dean asks the bartender.

"Living the dream. What can I get for you?" The bartender asks.

"Three beers, please."

Isabeau leans against the bar, "So, we're looking for some people."

The bartender smiles at them, "Sure. Hard to be lonely."

Isabeau smirks in amusement, "Yeah. But um, that's not what I meant." She pulls out a $50 bill, fingering it, and drops it on the bar. The bartender looks at it, then takes it.

Sam sighs before continuing for Isabeau, "Great. So, these people, they would have moved here about six months ago, probably pretty rowdy, like to drink…"

Dean nods, "Yeah, real night owls, you know? Sleep all day, party all night." He takes a sip of his beer.

"Barker farm got leased out a couple months ago. Real winners. They've been in here a lot - drinkers. Noisy. I've had to 86 them once or twice." The bartender nods, giving them information.

Isabeau glances at Sam and Dean, "Thanks." She takes one sip of her beer before setting it down.

They leave their half-finished beers on the table and leave. The man who was watching them is gone, a smoldering cigarette left behind.

As Dean, Isabeau and Sam leave, the man watches, then stalks them. They go down an alley, he follows. When he loses sight of them, turns and Dean and Sam are suddenly there, pinning him to the wall, Dean with a knife at his throat.

Isabeau crosses her arms from behind Sam and Dean, scowling at the man, "Smile."

"What?" The man asks her, confused.

"You heard her, show us those pearly whites." Dean says.

"Oh, for the love of - you want to stick that thing someplace else? I'm not a vampire." The man says.

Sam and Isabeau frown.

The man sees their frowns and explains, "Yeah, that's right. I heard you guys in there."

Isabeau tilts her head at the man, "What do you know about vampires?"

"How to kill them." The man addresses her before looking at Dean, "Now seriously, bro. That knife's making me itch."

Dean cocks his head and the man starts to pull away, but Sam pins him harder. "Whoa. Easy there, Chachi."

He slowly brings his right hand to his lip, and pulls it back, revealing normal gums, "See? Fangless. Happy?"

Dean lets up, both brothers backing away slightly, "Now. Who the hell are you?" The man asks.

* * *

They head back to the parking lot and stop at the man, who they found out was named Gordon, car, and he pulls out his arsenal.

"Sam and Dean Winchester." Gordon smiles at them, "I can't believe it. You know I met your old man once? Hell of a guy. Great hunter. I heard he passed. I'm sorry. It's big shoes. But from what I hear you guys fill 'em. Great trackers, good in a tight spot-"

"You seem to know a lot about our family." Dean says, suspicious of his knowledge. Isabeau shifts in her spot, playing with her rosary. Wonder what people say about her. She wondered if other hunters even knew about what she was. From the handful of hunters she met, they seemed pretty accepting of what she was.

"Word travels fast. You know how hunters talk." Gordon says.

Dean glances at Sam, "No, we don't, actually." Isabeau shrugs, if you counted her coven then none of her coven really talked to any other hunters about their work. Again, except for the occasional few.

"I guess there's a lot your dad never told you, huh?" Gordon asks and neither brother answers.

Gordon looks over at Isabeau, "And Isabeau Fitzgerald… I will say. It's an honor to meet you." He puts his hand out with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Isabeau blinks at his hand with a small smile. When she touches his hand, she expects a handshake, but instead Gordon leans down and places a light kiss on her hand.

Isabeau raises her brow at him. She wasn't expecting that. When he stands up straight, their hands part and Isabeau backs up to Sam and Dean. The brothers jaw slightly clenched at what Gordon did.

Gordon chuckles, "Well, it's not everyday you meet a strong, beautiful hunter that can take on a nest all by herself."

Isabeau smiles in amusement at Gordon's flirting, but nods to accept the compliment and to not seem rude.

Sam and Dean shift in their spots. One of Sam's hands places itself on the back of her neck, under her hair. While Dean's hand moves down, sliding itself in her back pocket, slightly squeezing her ass. Isabeau faintly smirks at the boys actions; they were such alpha males, protecting what was theirs.

Sam clears his throat, "So, um, so those two vampires, they were yours, huh?"

"Yep. Been here two weeks." Gordon confirms.

"Did you check out that Barker farm?" Dean asks.

"It's a bust. Just a bunch of hippie freaks. Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone."

"Where's the nest, then?"

Gordon smiles to himself, holding back a laugh, "I got this one covered. Look, don't get me wrong. It's a real pleasure meetin' you fellas. But I've been on this thing for over a year. I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I'll finish it."

Isabeau crosses her arms, "We could help."

Gordon smiles at her, "Thanks sweetness," Isabeau raises a brow at the nickname. "I know you could probably handle it all on your own, but uh, I'm kind of a go-it-alone type of guy."

Dean steps a little closer to Isabeau, "Come on, man, I"ve been itching for a hunt." He tells Gordon.

"Sorry. But hey, I hear there's a Chupacabra two states over. You go ahead and knock yourselves out." Gordon says before getting in his car, "It was real good meeting you, though. I'll buy you a drink on the flip side." Gordon winks at Isabeau before driving off.

Isabeau smirks as Dean's grip tightens and Sam shifts closer. The three of them stare at Gordon's car driving off. Yeah, they weren't letting him go alone.

* * *

A man is sitting in the quiet mill, alone. He hears a noise, and starts investigating, looking everywhere. He goes up to the roof, and pulls out a crowbar.

A crow flies at his head, startling him. He relaxes, then turns around to find Gordon attacking him with a machete. The man doges Gordon's attack and he extends his fangs.

They struggle near an electric saw. The vampire turns it on, pinning Gordon down below it, nearly decapitating him until Sam and Isabeau pull him to safety.

Dean grabs a pole off from the side and attacks the vampire. He takes the pole and stabs him, getting him pinned under the electric saw. He punches the vampire a couple of times and lowers the saw, decapitating him and he's sprayed with blood.

Dean turns to the three of them and Gordon smiles at Dean, "So uh, I guess I gotta buy you that drink."

Sam and Isabeau stare at Dean, stunned.

* * *

The four head back to the bar where they first met. Gordon, Dean, Isabeau and Sam are sitting around a table in the bar. A waitress brings them another round, and Dean reaches for his wallet.

"No, no, I got it." Gordon stops him.

"Come on." Dean counters.

Gordon holds his finger up to Dean, "I insist." He pulls out some cash and hands it to the waitress, "Thank you, sweetie."

Isabeau leans back in her chair, crossing her legs, staring at Gordon. He was weird to Isabeau, something just wasn't sitting right with her.

Gordon raises his shot glass, "Another one bites the dust."

Dean lifts up his own shot glass, "That's right." Dean and Gordon clink their glasses, and drink to Gordon's toast. Sam is sitting back, arms folded. Isabeau just watches Dean and Gordon, sipping on her own beer.

Gordon sighs, placing his now empty shot glass on the table, "Dean." He laughs, "You gave that big-ass fang one hell of a haircut, my friend."

"Thank you." Dean says.

Gordon shakes his head, "That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."

Dean smiles, lifting up his beer, "Yep." He glances over at Sam and Isabeau, noticing that they've been silent, "You all right, Sammy? Beau?"

"I'm fine." Sam says.

"Peachy." Isabeau whispers. Dean glances at Isabeau. She doesn't look at Dean, but instead still keeps her eyes on Gordon.

"Well, lighten up a little, Sammy." Gordon smiles.

Sam juts his head toward Dean, "He's the only one who gets to call me that."

Gordon looks back and forth between the two brothers, "Okay. No offense meant. Just celebrating a little. Job well done."

"Right. Well, decapitations aren't my idea of a good time, I guess." Sam says.

Gordon hums at Sam and then nods at Isabeau, "What about you, Beau? I'd think you'd be jumping for joy at a kill."

Isabeau snorts, "Well, first off, they…" Isabeau points to Sam and Dean, "Only get to call me Beau. And usually when I get a kill I'm… not _jumping_ for joy." Isabeau brings her drink to her lips. Usually when it came to hunting, it was more like washing the blood out of hair and clothes so it doesn't stain them red.

Gordon smiles at her and then addresses Sam, "Oh, come one, man, it's not like it was human. You've gotta have a little more fun with your job."

Isabeau glances up over the top of her drink at Gordon. Not human, huh? Good thing she hasn't used any of her powers.

Sam glances at Isabeau, picking up what Gordon meant. If it wasn't human; hunt it and kill it. That rule didn't apply to Sam and Dean. Hell, they were dating someone who wasn't human.

Dean gets the implication as well. Not only did he not like Isabeau being near Gordon just from the fact he was flirting with her, but also that he could possibly be a threat to her. But, as long as the three of them didn't say anything to Gordon, everything should be fine.

Dean snaps his fingers at Gordon, "See? That's what I've been trying to tell him. You could learn a thing or two from this guy."

Sam looks back and forth between Dean and Gordon, "Yeah I bet I could. Look, I'm not gonna bring you guys down. I'm just gonna go back to the motel."

Dean sets his beer down, rubbing his face, not believing what his brother was doing, "You sure?"

"Yeah." Sam gets up from his seat, giving Isabeau a look before walking away. 'Come with me.' Is what Sam was saying. He didn't want to leave the bar alone.

"Sammy?" Dean calls out, jingling his keys and Sam turns around, "Remind me to beat that buzzkill out of you later, all right?" Dean says and he tosses Sam the keys.

Sam catches the keys, but doesn't leave, staring at Isabeau.

Isabeau clears her throat, setting down her drink, "If you'll excuse me. I'm gonna head out with Sam."

Dean stares at her as Isabeau stands up from her seat, "You sure, sweetheart?"

Isabeau softly smiles at him, "I'm sure. You two have fun."

Isabeau grabs a fistful of the front of Dean's shirt and parts his lips with her own. Dean smirks into the kiss, his hand moving to smack her ass.

Isabeau squeaks in surprise, pulling away from him, "Dirty move, Dearie." She looks over at Gordon, who was watching the two with interest, "See ya around, Gordon."

She turns back to Dean, "You're gonna get it later." Dean gives her a look, taking a drink.

Isabeau chuckles, making her way over to Sam. Sam smiles, happy that she decided to come along with him. He wraps his arm around her waist and leans down to kiss her.

Gordon raises a brow, and looks over at Dean, expecting him to be fuming with anger. But he was met with Dean smiling at the two as they left.

"You're brother is kissing your girl and you're okay with it?" Gordon asks, confused.

Dean turns to him and shrugs, "It's uh, complicated. We have a… arrangement." Dean says cautiously, not knowing if Gordon would say anything offensive about their relationship. Dean didn't want to outright say that both him and his brother were in a committed relationship with Isabeau. He didn't trust Gordon enough with that kind of information.

Gordon raises his arms in defense, "Hey man, it's none of my business. But I do have to say… you and your brother got one of the best hunters out there. I mean, damn, beautiful and she can take out a nest like that." Gordon snaps his fingers.

"If I knew she was your girl, I wouldn't have flirted with her earlier, man." Gordon apologizes.

Dean nods, not saying anything.

Gordon clears his throat, "But your brother, was it something I said?"

Dean shakes his head, "Nah, nah, he just gets that way sometimes. Tell you what. Match you quarters for the next round."

* * *

Isabeau and Sam return to the motel room. Isabeau opens the door, entering the motel room, sighing as Sam shrugs off his jacket and closes the door behind them.

Sam places his jacket off to the side and goes over to drop the keys on a hook. He looks over, watching Isabeau shrug off her own jacket, and throwing it off to the side. She takes off her plaid flannel as well, tying it around her waist, revealing the majority of her tattoos as some were covered by the sleeves of her t-shirt.

Sam smiles softly, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around from behind her. Isabeau smiles, placing her hands on top of Sam's, "Hey there, Stretch."

Isabeau chuckles softly, feeling his chest vibrate against her back at his humming, "You know, I think you should call Ellen. Ask about Gordon." She suggests.

Sam pushes back some of Isabeau's hair behind her ear, "You got that weird feeling too, huh?"

Isabeau hums in agreement, turning around in Sam's arm, "Yeah, just something off about him. I can't place my finger on it."

Sam nods, "I'll give her a call."

* * *

"So…" Dean starts with a smile, "I pick up this crossbow. And I hit that ugly sucker with a silver-tipped arrow right in his heart. Sammy's waiting in the car, and uh, me and my dad take the thing into the woods, burn it to a crisp. I'm sitting there and looking into the fire, and I'm thinking to myself, I'm sixteen years old. Most kids my age are worried about pimples, prom dates. I'm seeing things that they'll never even know. Never even dream of. So right then, I just sort of -"

"Embraced the life?" Gordon suggests with a knowing smile.

Dean nods, "Yeah."

Gordon nods as well, "Yeah."

"Yeah. How'd you get started?" Dean picks up his beer, leaning back into his seat.

Gordon chuckles, "First time I saw a vampire, I was barely eighteen. Home alone with my sister. I hear the window break in her room. I grab my dad's gun, run in, try to get it off her. Too late. So, I shoot the damn thing. Which of course is about as useful as snapping it with a rubber band. It rushes me, picks me up, flings me across the room, knocks me out cold. When I wake up, the vampire's gone, my sister's gone."

"And then?" Dean asks.

"Then... try explaining that one to your family. So I left home. And then bummed around looking for information: how you track 'em, how you kill 'em. And I found that fang - it was my first kill." Gordon explains.

Dean raises his beer in condolence, "Sorry about your sister."

Gordon nods, "Yeah. She was beautiful. I can still see her, you know? The way she was. But hey, that was a long time ago. I mean, your dad. It's gotta be rough."

Dean weakly smiles, "Yeah. Yeah, you know. He was just one of those guys. Took some terrible beatings, just kept coming. So you're always thinking to yourself, he's indestructible. He'll always be around, nothing can kill my dad. Then just like that..."

He snaps his fingers, "He's gone. I can't talk about this to Sammy. You know, I gotta keep my game face on." He clears throat, "But, uh, the truth is I'm not handling it very well. Feel like I have this-"

"Hole inside you?" Gordon suggests, "And it just gets bigger and bigger and darker and darker? Good. You can use it. Keeps you hungry. Trust me. There's plenty out there needs killing, and this'll help you do it. Dean, it's not a crime to need your job."

Gordon then pauses, "Though I'm curious about Isabeau. Seems like she keeps you two in line. How did you come to know her?"

Dean smiles to himself for a second, "Isabeau's the best, man. She's really the only one that I can let my walls fall, you know? She doesn't even need to say anything, she just gives you this look and then you want to tell her everything. You don't have to put up this facade in front of her. You feel free."

Gordon smiles, "Sounds nice."

Dean chuckles, "It is… The three of us have been childhood friends. She's only a year older than Sammy, but she can kick both of our asses any day of the week."

Gordon laughs along with Dean, "I haven't seen her in action, but from what I heard, she's good. One of the best hunters out there… How did she get into hunting anyway? Never heard how she got started."

Dean shrugs, "Raised into it. Just like us. Her parents are both hunters, technically retired, but they pick up hunts if needed." Dean doesn't mention the fact that Isabeau practically hunts her own kind.

Gordon furrows his brow, "So no death in the family? That's usually how people get into hunting."

Dean shakes his head and Gordon hums at the information, "Interesting."

"What?"

"Just… makes you think. She has no real reason to be hunting besides the fact that both of her parents are hunters. She could've lived a normal life. I'm just wondering… what made her want to hunt in the first place?" Gordon asks.

Dean says nothing, taking a drink of his beer. He knew the answer to Gordon's question. Isabeau was a supernatural hybrid, she couldn't avoid the life if she even tried. It was hunt or be hunted.

* * *

Sam sits on the edge of one of the motel beds as Isabeau paces the room, swinging her rosary around. The phone rings a couple of times before someone answers, "Harvelle's Roadhouse." Ellen's voice answers.

"Hey, Ellen, uh, Sam Winchester." Sam says into the phone.

Ellen smiles, "Sam, it's good to hear from you. You boys and Isabeau are okay, aren't you?"

Sam nods, "Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. Got a question."

"Yeah, shoot."

"You ever run across a guy named Gordon Walker?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I know Gordon."

"And?"

"Well, he's a real good hunter. Why are you asking, sweetie?" Ellen asks, curious.

Sam sighs, "Well, we ran into him on a job and we're kinda working with him, I guess."

Ellen's face falls, "Don't do that, Sam."

Sam furrows his brow in confusion, "I - I thought you said he was a good hunter."

"Yeah, and Hannibal Lecter's a good psychiatrist. Look, he is dangerous to everyone and everything around him. If he's working on a job, you boys just let him handle it and you move on."

Sam shakes his head, "Ellen -"

"No, Sam, you just listen to what I'm telling you, okay?"

Sam nods, "Right, okay."

Ellen sighs, "Oh and Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Get Isabeau out of there. The second Gordon finds out what she is, he's gonna come after her. And he will not hear you or Dean out. He will kill her." Ellen warns Sam.

Sam glances up at Isabeau in fear. Isabeau stares back at him, having heard everything the Ellen said.

"You got it." Sam confirms.

* * *

"Know why I love this life?" Gordon asks Dean.

Dean hums, "Hmm?"

Gordon nods, "It's all black and white. There's no maybe. You find the bad thing, kill it. See, most people spend their lives in shades of gray. Is this right? Is that wrong? Not us."

"Not sure Sammy would agree with you, but uh…" Dean says, taking a drink of his beer.

"Doesn't seem like your brother's much like us."

Dean stares at him, startled by his words.

"I'm not saying he's wrong. Just different. But you and me? Isabeau? We were born to do this. It's in our blood." Gordon explains, taking a sip of his own beer.

Dean looks thoughtful at Gordon.

* * *

Isabeau leans against the vending machine outside of the motel as Sam buys a soda from a vending machine, "So, what? We pull Dean away from Gordon and high tail it out of here?" Isabeau asks.

Sam nods, "Yeah, don't want to take the chance, Beau. If Ellen said was true, then I don't want to take any risks if he finds out what you are."

Isabeau nods at him as he grabs his soda and the two start walking back to the room.

Sam pauses, thinking that he heard something. Isabeau furrows her brow, thinking she heard something too. Isabeau glances around not seeing anything as Sam opens his soda. She pats his arm, signaling that she doesn't see anyone.

Once he takes a sip of his soda, his free hand holds onto Isabeau's and they continue walking back to the room. Isabeau cautiously opens the door, looking around.

They get inside and lean against the door, relieved. Isabeau chuckles as Sam sighs, "I think we're losing it." Isabeau jokes, letting go of Sam's hand, grabbing his soda and walking into the room, placing the drink on the table.

Suddenly a dark figure jumps her from behind. "Isabeau!" Sam screams out moving to help, but another figure jumps on him as well.

Sam knocks his first attacker down, punching him in the face as Isabeau does the same to her attacker, the two of them taking swings at each other. A third attacker comes up behind Sam, but Sam punches him before he could attack.

Sam's first attacker rises up behind him and slams a heavy telephone into the back of his head, knocking him out.

Isabeau's attention is drawn away from her attacker, "Sam!" She screams out as her attacker, grabs her arms, twisting them behind her back. Isabeau yelps in pain.

The one who attacked Sam, comes up to her with the heavy telephone as the other attacker holds her in place.

"Night, night, sweetheart." He says before slamming the telephone into the back of her head, knocking her out as well.


	8. Bloodlust Pt.2

Isabeau blinks her eyes a couple of times, her vision slowly coming into focus. She tries to move, but something stops her from doing so. She twists her hands which are bound behind her back and to the chair she was sitting on. Same with her ankles as they were bound to the legs of the chair.

Isabeau let out a groan, the gag in between her lips making it muffled. She looks around, seeing that she was inside some farmhouse. She freezes when she sees Sam next to her in a similar state to her, only he had a sack over his head.

Isabeau's eyes widen when the bartender from earlier walks into the room, glancing at Isabeau and then moves over to Sam. He pulls off the sack from Sam's head, showing that he was gagged as well.

Sam's eyes instantly fall to Isabeau. Isabeau nods to him, telling him that she was okay. A nasty bump in the back of the head, but she was fine.

Sam looks back at the bartender with fear in his eyes. The bartender opens his mouth, revealing his fangs and advances on Sam, who struggles.

Isabeau's eyes glow a fiery blue, ready to burst into flames to help Sam, but a woman appears in the doorway, stopping the vampire. "Wait! Step back, Eli."

Eli pulls back, his fangs retracting. The woman walks over, pulling off Isabeau's gag first and then pulls off Sam's gag. "My name's Lenore. I'm not going to hurt you. We just need to talk." Lenore tells them.

"Talk? Yeah, okay, but I might have a tough time paying attention to much besides Eli's teeth." Sam spits out.

Isabeau stares over at Eli, her eyes still glowing. He tilts his head at her in curiosity.

"He won't hurt you either. You have my word." Lenore reassures Sam.

Sam nods, not convinced, "Your word? Oh yeah, great, thanks. Listen lady, no offense but you're not the first vampire I've met."

Isabea shakes her head, turning to Lenore, "Sam…"

Lenore and Sam look over at her and Lenore can't help but stare into Isabeau's glowing eyes, "They're not like other vampires. They're like… me and my girls."

Sam furrows his brow at her, confused. Lenore is confused as well. Isabeau huffs, "They're not hybrids or anything, but… you don't kill humans to feed, do you?" She asks Lenore.

Lenore nods her head, "We don't kill humans, and we don't drink their blood. We haven't for a long time."

Sam looks back and forth between Lenore and Isabeau, "What is this, some kind of joke?" Outside of Isabeau's coven, Sam didn't think that were any other supernatural creatures that didn't feed on humans and kill.

"Notice you're still alive." Lenore says matter-of-factly.

Sam glances over at Eli, "Okay, uh, correct me if I'm wrong here, but shouldn't you be starving to death?"

Lenore looks over at Eli, "We've found other ways. Cattle blood."

Isabeau grimaces, "You're telling me you're responsible for all the-"

Lenore turns to her, "It's not ideal, in fact it's disgusting. But, it allows us to get by."

Sam tilts his head, "Okay, uh, why?"

"Survival." Isabeau says, her eyes fading back to their original blue. Lenore tilts her head at Isabeau.

Isabeau glances over at Sam who was watching her with curious eyes, "No deaths, no missing locals, no reason for people like… hunters to come looking for you. To blend in."

"Beau..." Sam whispers out.

Isabeau huffs, "How do you think my girls and I survive? We blend in. Take jobs that will benefit us, hide us from hunters." Even though Isabeau was a hunter as well, it didn't stop others from hunting her and her coven down.

Lenore nods at her, "Our kind is practically extinct. Turns out we weren't quite as high up the food chain as we imagined."

"Why are we explaining ourselves to these killers?" Eli growls out.

"Eli!"

"We choke on cow's blood so that none of them suffer. Tonight they murdered Conrad and they celebrated." Eli glares at Sam and Isabeau.

"Eli, that's enough." Lenore scolds him.

"Yeah, Eli, that's enough." Sam echoes. Isabeau rolls her eyes. If her hands weren't bound, she would've whacked him in the back of the head.

"What's done is done. We're leaving this town tonight." Lenore tells Isabeau and Sam.

Sam shrugs his shoulders, "Then why did you bring us here? Why are you even talking to us?"

"Believe me, I'd rather not. But I know your kind. Once you have the scent you'll keep tracking us. It doesn't matter where we go. Hunters will find us." Lenore says.

Isabeau furrows her brow, "So you're asking us not to follow you?"

"We have a right to live. We're not hurting anyone." Lenore says. Isabeau glances over at Eli and then back to Lenore. She wasn't so different from them. For Isabeau it wasn't 'if it's supernatural, kill it on them spot'. It was more, 'if they killed, then be the hunter'.

"Right, so you keep saying, but give me one good reason why I should believe you." Sam tells her.

Isabeau takes a breath, "Let Sam go."

Everyone in the room turns to her. "Beau, no." Sam begs.

Isabeau doesn't look at Sam, locking eyes with Lenore, "Let Sam go. And I can help you relocate. I have friends, friends that will help find a safe place to be and we can provide you with the blood you need."

Lenore tilts her head, "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because you wouldn't be the first nest of vampires that I've helped. And I've helped more than just vampires relocate and help stay off the radar from hunters. And besides…" Isabeau's eyes glow violet, "From one survivor to another. I hope you take my offer."

Sam looks at her, startled. Him and Dean never knew about any of this.

Lenore thinks for a second and then nods, taking Isabeau's deal. She looks over at Eli, "Take him back. Not a mark on him."

* * *

Isabeau watches from the front door of the farmhouse as Eli and another vampire lead Sam back to the truck, a sack covering his head again.

"What are you?" Lenore asks from behind Isabeau. Isabeau doesn't look at Lenore, watching the vampires drive off with Sam.

Isabeau sighs, "I'm a hybrid. Half natural born witch, half fire elemental." Isabeau turns to Lenore who is staring at Isabeau in fascination.

"A hybrid? Very rare."

Isabeau chuckles, "Kind of rare. There are sixteen of us in total." She shakes her head, "Anyway, got a phone? Need to make a call to my friend that's gonna help you relocate."

* * *

Dean and Gordon sit at the table in the hotel room, discussing strategy over a map. "This is the best pattern I can establish. It's sketchy at best." Gordon points out to Dean.

"Looks like it's all coming from this side of town. Which means the nest would be around here someplace, right?" Dean points at the map.

Gordon nods, "Yep, that's what I'm thinking. Problem is, there's thirty-five, forty farms out there. I've searched about half of them already, but nothing yet. They're covering their tracks real good."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to search the other half." Dean smiles up at Gordon and then looks down at his watch, "What time is it? Where is Sam and Isabeau?"

Gordon looks out the window, "Car's parked outside. Probably went for a walk. They seem like the take-a-walk type."

Dean rubs his eyes, "Yeah, they are, but…"

The door opens and Sam enters, giving Dean a look.

"Where you been? Where's Isabeau?" Dean asks, seeing that their girlfriend wasn't behind Sam.

"Can I talk to you alone?" Sam nods his head toward the door.

Dean turns to Gordon, "You mind chillin' out for a couple minutes?" Gordon shakes his head, not minding the two step outside for a bit.

* * *

Sam and Dean exit the motel room and walk into the parking lot. "Dean, maybe we've got to rethink this hunt." Sam suggests. His mind slightly freaking out over Isabeau still being with the vampires.

"What are you talking about? Where were you? And where the hell is Isabeau?" Dean asks, confused by his brother.

Sam sighs, "In the nest."

Dean looks at him, surprised, "You guys found it?"

Sam shakes his head, "They found us, man."

"How'd you get out? How many'd you kill?" Dean asks and then smiles, "Beau's finishing up the job isn't she?"

Sam shakes his head, "No she isn't and we didn't kill any."

Dean chuckles in disbelief, "Well Sam, they didn't just let you go."

"That's exactly what they did… Isabeau asked them to." Sam says, the two of them stopping in the middle of the parking lot.

"All right, well, where is it?"

Sam shrugs, "I was blindfolded, I don't know."

"Well, you've got to know something."

"We went over that bridge outside of town, but Dean, listen. Maybe we shouldn't go after them." Sam says.

Dean shakes his head, "Why not? And seriously, where the hell is Isabeau?"

Sam sighs, "She's still at the nest."

Dean's eyes widen, "And what you just leave her there?"

Sam huffs, "No,Dean, she was one the who told the vampires to let me go. She's staying there to help them relocate. She says that they don't kill humans. That they're not like other vampires."

Dean stares at him in disbelief, "You're joking. Then how do they stay alive? Or undead, or whatever the hell they are."

"The cattle mutilations. They said they live off of animal blood."

"And you believed them?"

Sam spreads his arms, "Look at me, Dean. They let me go without a scratch."

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, because Isabeau told them too... No, man, no way. If it weren't for Isabeau, I don't know why they would let you go. I don't really care. We find 'em, we waste 'em. And get Isabeau the hell out of there." Dean starts heading back towards the motel.

"Why?" Sam asks, stopping Dean in his tracks.

"What part of 'vampires' don't you understand, Sam? If it's supernatural, we kill it, end of story. That's our job." Dean firmly says.

Sam frowns at his words, "No, Dean, that is not our job. Our job is hunting evil. And if these things aren't killing people, they're not evil!"

"Of course they're killing people, that's what they do. They're all the same, Sam. They're not human, okay? We have to exterminate every last one of them."

Sam looks at Dean in disbelief, "You really think that?"

Dean nods, "Yeah, Sam. I do."

Sam shakes his head at him, "If that were true, Isabeau would be dead by now."

"What? That's not true!"

"Yes it is Dean!" Sam shouts, "If we never grew up with Isabeau, we would've been told to kill her, Dean! You said it yourself. If it's supernatural we kill it. If that was the case then Isabeau, her parents, her brothers, her entire coven would all be dead! So, don't you tell me that's our job!"

Dean stares hard at Sam, knowing that he was right, "But Isabeau and all of them are different, Sam."

Sam rubs his face, "That's my point! They're supernatural creatures that don't kill humans. They were all raised to be hunters. Kill evil and fight for good. Maybe there are others like them, Dean."

Dean shakes his head, not believing that there could be other creatures that didn't want to kill humans. He knew Isabeau, her family and a good portion of Isabeau's coven, they were the only ones that Dean believed did good. "Gordon's been on those vamps for a year, man, he knows." Dean directs the conversation.

"Gordon?"

"Yes."

"You're taking his word for it?" Sam asks.

Dean nods, "That's right."

"Ellen says he's bad news."

"You called Ellen?"

Sam nods.

"And I'm supposed to listen to her? We barely know her, Sam, no thanks, I'll go with Gordon." Dean tells him.

Sam smiles bitterly, "Right, 'cause Gordon's such an old friend. You don't think I can see what this is?"

Dean shakes his head, "What are you talking about?"

"He's a substitute for Dad, isn't he? A poor one." Sam jabs.

Dean turns, walking back toward the room, "Shut up, Sam."

Sam follows, "He's not even close, Dean. Not on his best day."

Dean smiles, raising his arms, "You know what? I'm not even going to talk about this."

Sam frowns at him, "You know, you slap on this big fake smile but I can see right through it. Because I know how you feel, Dean. Dad's dead. And he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you can't just fill up that hole with whoever you want to. It's an insult to his memory."

"Okay." Dean starts to turn away, but then punches Sam, hard.

Sam pauses, turning back slowly, but not rising to the bait, "You hit me all you want. It won't change anything."

"I'm going to that nest and getting Isabeau out of there. You don't want to tell me where it is, fine. I'll find it myself." Dean turns, walking back to the motel room.

Sam sighs, "Dean." He follows.

* * *

Dean returns to the motel room with Sam in tow, and they see that Gordon is gone. "Gordon?" Dean calls out.

"You think he went after them?" Sam asks.

Dean turns to him, "Probably."

Sam shakes his head, "Dean, we have to stop him."

"Really, Sam? Because I say we lend a hand." Dean says.

Sam huffs, "Just give me the benefit of the doubt, would you? You owe me that… How about trusting Isabeau? She stayed behind because she believes that they're good."

Dean pauses, "Yeah, we'll see. I'll drive. Give me the keys."

Sam points to the table where he'd set them earlier, but they're gone. "He snaked the keys." He says.

* * *

Dean is hot-wiring his car and grimacing, "I can't believe this. I just fixed her up, too." The car starts, "So the bridge, is that, uh, is that all you got?"

Sam looks down at the map in his lap, tracing the road lines with his finger, "The bridge was four and a half minutes from their farm."

"How do you know?" Dean asks.

Sam looks up at his brother, "I counted." He continues tracing a path on the map, "They took a left out of the farm, then turned right onto a dirt road, followed that for two minutes slightly up a hill, then took another quick right and we hit the bridge."

Dean purses his lips, "You're good. You're a monster pain in the ass, but you're good."

* * *

Lenore is packing things into boxes, Isabeau is helping her, being careful with their belongings. Eli comes in and sets a box on the table. Lenore looks up at him, "In the truck, thank you."

"We can't leave like this. Lenore. Listen to me, we need to stay and fight." Eli comes over to grab Lenore's upper arms. Isabeau glances up, watching the two.

"They were my friends too, Eli, my family."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Eli glances over at Isabeau, "This is self-defense. Kill or be killed. They can't hunt us if they're dead."

Lenore shakes her head, "Killing those three wouldn't solve anything." Isabeau furrows her brow at the fact the Lenore didn't place her with the others. "There's more where they came from. We're out-numbered. This. This is all we can do. Try and reason-"

"You can't reason with these people." Eli interrupts, "They're going to kill us all anyway. We should at least take a few of them with us." ELi looks over at Isabeau, indicating that they should take her with them.

Lenore shakes her head, supping Eli's cheek, "I'm not giving up hope. If we can change, they can change. Now go into town and gather the others. We leave before sunrise."

Lenore looks over at Isabeau, Eli does too, "You sure your friend will help us?"

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, Lucy will help you guys relocate, supply you with what you need, and keep you guys under the radar."

"How do we know that your hunter friend, Lucy, won't back-stab you?" Eli asks.

Isabeau smirks, "Cause Lucy is half vampire. No offense, but the entirety of my coven knows what it's like to survive among humans." Isabeau pauses, "I'm not sure what your knowledge is on hybrids?"

Lenore shrugs, "Just that they're rare."

Isabeau hums, "Well, for those who are hunters and even those of our own kind, we are shunned. Hunted by both sides. We're seen as abominations. Things that shouldn't have been created in the first place."

Isabeau's face hardens, "So whenever we see a nest or a pack or any group of our own kind who just want to live in peace like we do… we help. All we ask for in return is kindness and the occasional help here and there. Nothing more."

Lenore tilts her head at Isabeau, "You're a strange one."

Isabeau shrugs with a smug smile, "You're preaching to the choir sister. But, all in all, hunt the evil, help the good."

* * *

Gordon's red car crosses the bridge and turns up a small road.

Some ways behind, Sam and Dean are in the impala and Sam sighs, staring at the map. Dean glances at him, then looks back to the road. Sam frowns at Dean as they cross the bridge.

* * *

Lenore comes out of the house with a box, sets it on the flatbed of a truck. She turns and Gordon is there. He grabs her, raises a knife that glistens with blood.

He stabs it into her chest and she goes limp, "Dead man's blood, bitch."

"Gordon!" Isabeau shouts.

Gordon turns to Isabeau, stunned to see her helping the vampires. "Isabeau, what are doing?" He asks.

Isabeau sets down the box on the porch and slowly walks up to him, "Gordon, please. Let her go. They haven't hurt anyone. I'm having them relocated and supplied. They're not killing any humans and they won't be killing cattle anymore."

Gordon tilts his head at Isabeau, "You're helping them? I thought you were one of the best hunters around and you're helping the enemy?"

Isabeau sighs, "I'm sorry Gordon, but yeah. They're innocent."

Gordon thinks, "I'm sorry too."

Isabeau was about to ask him why, but Gordon punches her in the face and she falls to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Inside the farmhouse, Gordon dips the knife into a jar of blood. Lenore is tied to a chair nearby, covered in cuts, pale and sickly. He circles around her, slices the bloody knife across her chest and she groans.

Sam and Dean walk through the archway.

Gordon glances over at them, "Sam, Dean. Come on in."

"Hey, Gordon. What's going on?" Dean asks, confused. Sam looks around, not seeing any sign of Isabeau anywhere.

"Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man's blood. She's going to tell us where all her little friends are, aren't you? Wanna help?" Gordon asks nonchalantly.

Dean steps forward a little, "Look, man-"

"Grab a knife. I was just about to start in on the fingers." He drags the knife across her arm, the veins trace away from the cut.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, let's all just chill out, huh?" Dean suggests.

Gordon smiles, shaking his head, "I'm completely chill."

"Gordon, put the knife down." Sam steps towards Gordon, but Dean stops him with a hand on his chest.

"It sounds like it's Sam here needs to chill." Gordon says to Dean.

Sam lifts his hand, "Just step away from her, all right?"

Gordon stares at him, "You're right. I'm wasting my time here. This bitch will never talk. Might as well put her out of her misery." He pulls out a larger knife, "I just sharpened it, so it's completely humane."

He turns towards Lenore and Sam steps to block him, "Gordon, I'm letting her go."

Gordon points the knife at Sam's chest, stopping him, "I wouldn't take another step, Sam." Gordon backs into the doorway behind him and reaches over, pulling Isabeau to him, knife under her throat.

Once again, Isabeau is bound and gagged, taking deep breaths as she looks at Sam and Dean. The brothers eyes widen and clench their jaws, as they stare at Isabeau.

"Isabeau tried to stop me. She was helping them." Gordon smiles, "Shame, really."

Dean slowly walks forward, "Hey, hey, hey, Gordon, let's talk about this." His eyes never leave Isabeau. His heart was pounding in his chest, fear creeping into his mind.

"What's there to talk about? It's like I said, Dean. No shades of gray." Gordon reminds Dean.

Dean nods, not really caring about Gordon's words, more worried about Isabeau's safety, "Yeah. I hear ya. And I know how you feel."

"Do you?" Gordon asks.

"That vampire that killed your sister deserved to die, but this one…"

Gordon laughs, stopping Dean, "Killed my sister? That filthy fang didn't kill my sister. It turned her. It made her one of them. So I hunted her down, and I killed her myself."

Isabeau looks at Sam and Dean in fear as Gordon lifts the blade a little higher. She didn't want to risk using her fire on Gordon, she was relying on Dean and Sam for this one.

"You did what?" Dean asks, shocked at Gordon.

"It wasn't my sister anymore, it wasn't human. I didn't blink. And neither would you." Gordon says.

Sam scowls, "So you knew all along, then? You knew about the vampires, you knew they weren't killing anyone. You knew about the cattle. And you just didn't care."

Gordon smiles, "Care about what? A nest of vampires suddenly acting nice? Taking a little time out from sucking innocent people? And we're supposed to buy that? Trust me."

Both brothers glance at each other and their eyes land back on Isabeau.

Gordon moves closer to the Lenore with Isabeau, "Doesn't change what they are. And I can prove it."

Gordon places the knife on Isabeau's left arm and slices the knife down the side of her shoulder. Isabeau winces in pain, her cries muffled by the gag.

Dean and Sam pull out their guns, pointing them at Gordon with a glare.

"Let her go. Now!" Dean shouts.

Gordon glances over at the brothers, "Relax. If I wanted to kill her, she'd already be on the floor. Just making a little point."

Gordon presses down on Isabeau's cut with the knife, drawing more blood. Isabeau flinches at the pain, clenching her teeth around the gag. Sam fumes, hands tightening around his gun as Dean takes a small step forward.

Gordon pulls away the knife, holding the knife covered in Isabeau's blood over Lenore, so the blood drips on her face. She hisses, fangs extending.

"Hey!" Both brothers shout.

Gordon leans his head down to Isabeau, "You think she's so different? Still want to save her? Look at her. They're all the same. Evil, bloodthirsty." He was telling all three of them, but directing more towards Isabeau.

Lenore controls herself, retracting her fangs, and turns her face away, "No. No." Isabeau smirks as much as she could, she knew that Lenore could control it.

Sam glares at Gordon, "You hear her, Gordon?"

"No! No!" Lenore repeats over and over.

Gordon let's go of Isabeau, realizing that it was three against one. Isabeau steps away form Gordon glaring at him. Sam steps towards her, taking her lower arm and backing her up, away from Gordon. He puts his gun away and removes Isabeau's gag and then starts removing the rope around her wrists.

Isabeau swallows, rubbing at her wrists once Sam removes her binds, "We're done here."

"Sam, get them out of here." Dean orders Sam.

"Yeah." Sam agrees, undoing the binds that held Lenore to the chair. Sam picks Lenore up in his arms. Gordon takes a step towards him, but Dean still has the gun trained on him.

"Uh-uh. Uh-uh!" Dean warns Gordon from interfering with Sam. Isabeau heads out with Sam and Lenore, clutching her bleeding arm as she leaves. "Gordon, I think you and I've got some things to talk about." Dean says.

"Get out of my way." Gordon threatens.

"Sorry."

"You're not serious."

Dean steadies himself, "I'm having a hard time believing it too, but I know what I saw. If you want those vampires, you gotta go through me."

Gordon nods, considering. He looks at his knife, then jams it into the table "Fine."

Dean looks at the knife, looks at his gun. He pulls the clip out of the gun and sets it aside.

Gordon punches him only to have Dean punch him back with the same force. Gordon grabs the knife again and Dean groans. Gordon swings at Dean a couple of times, Dean backing away at every swipe.

Dean grabs Gordon's arm, throwing him into the other room and up against the wall, slamming him into it over and over. Dean knocks the knife out from Gordon's hand and Gordon grabs onto Dean, "What are you doing, man? You doing this for a fang? Come on, Dean, we're on the same side here."

"I don't think so, you sadistic bastard." Dean says and Gordon punches him twice.

Gordon kicks Dean in the chest, throwing him across the room. "You're not like your brother and Isabeau. You're a killer. Like me."

Dean kicks Gordon down, hauls him up against the wall, and elbows him in the face, knocking him out.

Pinning him under his elbow, he walks into the other room, not before slamming Gordon's head into another wall, "Oh, sorry." Dean says sarcastically.

Dean sets him in a chair and ties him to it, "You know, I might be like you, and I might not. But you're the one tied up right now."

* * *

The sunrise over the horizon, turning night into day. Sam and Isabeau return to find Gordon tied to the chair, and Dean pacing. Gordon and Dean watch each other.

"Did we miss anything?" Sam asks, having his arm hooked around Isabeau's torso. Isabeau glares at Gordon.

Dean shrugs, "Nah, not much. Lenore get out okay?"

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. All of 'em did. They'll be safe."

"Then I guess our work here is done. How you doin', Gordy? Gotta tinkle yet?" Gordon looks at him, saying nothing.

Dean chuckles, "All right. Well, get comfy. We'll call someone in two or three days, have them come out, untie you." He jams Gordon's knife into a table behind him.

Sam brings Isabeau closer to him, not wanting to let her go, "Ready to go, Dean?"

"Not yet. I guess this is goodbye. Well, it's been real." Dean hits Gordon, knocking him in his chair to the floor.

Isabeau smiles, clearing her throat.

Dean turns to her and Sam, "Okay. I'm good now. We can go." Isabeau and Sam chuckle.

* * *

As they exit the farmhouse, Isabeau and Dean both wince at their recent injuries. Isabeau's shoulder was wrapped in a bandage courtesy of Sam.

"Sam?" Dean stops, setting himself on his feet like a boxer.

Sam and Isabeau stop, turning to Dean, "Yeah?" Sam asks.

"Clock me one."

Isabeau blinks, looking back and forth between the brothers. Did something happen while she was gone?

"What?" Sam asks.

"Come on. I won't even hit you back. Let's go." Dean gestures for Sam to hit him.

Sam chuckles, "No."

"Let's go, you get a freebie. Hit me, come on."

Sam waves his free hand at him, walking away with Isabeau, "You look like you just went twelve rounds with a block of cement, Dean. I'll take a raincheck."

They walk over to the impala and Dean sighs, "I wish we never took this job. It's jacked everything up."

Isabeau stops, "What do you mean?" Sam and Dean stop with her.

"Think about all the hunts we went on our whole lives." Dean says.

"Okay." Sam says. All three of them lean against the impala.

"What if we killed things that didn't deserve killing? You know? I mean, the way Dad raised us…" Dean trails off.

"Dean, after what happened to Mom, Dad did the best he could." Sam reassures him.

Dean looks away, "I know he did. But the man wasn't perfect. And the way he raised us, to hate those things; and man, I hate 'em. I do. When I killed that vampire at the mill I didn't even think about it; hell, I even enjoyed it."

Isabeau looks down briefly, "You didn't kill Lenore."

Dean stares at her, not proud of what he was feeling, "No, but every instinct told me to. I was gonna kill her. I was gonna kill 'em all."

"Yeah, Dean, but you didn't. And that's what matters." Sam says.

Dean pauses, "Yeah. Well, 'cause you're a pain in my ass."

Sam chuckles, "Guess I might have to stick around to be a pain in the ass, then."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

The three stand in silence and Dean looks over at Isabeau, "I'm sorry, Beau."

Isabeau sighs, slapping her hand on the roof of the impala and walks over to Dean. She reaches up wrapping her arms around his neck and kisses him. Dean furrows his brow but still reciprocates the kiss.

Isabeau pulls away and chuckles at Dean's confusion. "Do I get a kiss every time I say 'sorry'?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "No… but Dean. The way you and Sam were raised. It's the way all hunters were raised. I can't blame you for that. I mean John made my family and I the exception, but that was because we knew John. We trusted him and he trusted us with not only himself but you two."

Dean sighs, "I know. I just… I feel terrible wanting to kill something that's a part of you."

Isabeau raises a brow at him, "You think you're not the only one? Dean, I've been in that position… There was even a time when I took _pleasure_ in killing. Getting a high from it. I kill my own kind, and if that's not fucked up then I don't know what is."

Isabeau looks over at Sam, giving him a small smile and does the same to Dean, "Look, there's evil out there Dean, but there's also creatures that are good. And I should've told you guys that. There's creatures just like me, my family and my coven. Survivors. That's what we are."

"Everything isn't as black and white as it seems, I guess." Dean says.

Isabeau shrugs, "Unfortunately, no. But, when have they ever?"

Sam chuckles, "Never."

Isabeau chuckles along with him, "This hunt was a wreck, but at least it opened your guys eyes even more. Not everything is as it seems." She opens the driver's door and gets inside, sliding into the middle.

Sam smiles weakly and gets in the passenger's side, getting into their new position from the start of the hunt in the impala, waiting for Dean.

Dean stares off into the distance for a moment. _Not everything is as it seems._ Isabeau's words echoed in his head. After this hunt, that statement was a hundred percent true.

He climbs in, and Isabeau places one of her legs on Dean's lap as the other is propped on the seat. Dean smiles at her softly as Sam has his arms wrapped around her, being careful of her shoulder. He starts the engine and drives off, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, this took me longer than expected. I am sorry again for not giving you guys a quick update. I've been kind of in this slump that I can't seem to get out of. Plus with having to figure out stuff for the fall semester for my junior year of college, coming back from medical leave and all of that stuff.
> 
> But, I hope you all enjoyed!


	9. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things Pt.1

The impala zooms down a two-lane blacktop. Dean is driving, Sam in the passenger's seat and Isabeau in between the two as usual.

"Come on, Sam, I'm begging you. This is stupid." Dean groans out.

"Why?" Sam asks, confused.

"Going to visit Mom's grave? She doesn't even have a grave, there, there was no body left after the fire." Dean says.

"She has a headstone."

Dean nods, upset, "Yeah, put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met. So you wanna, go pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger? Come on."

Sam shakes his head, "Dean, that's not the point."

"Well then, enlighten me, Sam."

"It's not about a body, or, or, a casket." Sam counters.

Isabeau places a hand on Dean's thigh, "It's about her memory, Dean." That was the main reason she even wore her rosary. It wasn't because it was religious, it was because of the memory of her grandfather that it held.

Dean glances over at her, taking her hand in his, "Hmmm."

"And after Dad it just... just feels like the right thing to do." Sam says.

Dean squeezes Isabeau's hand, "It's irrational, is what it is."

"Look, man. No one asked you to come." Sam says. Originally, Sam was just going to go with Isabeau to his mother's grave; just the two of them.

Dean shakes his head, "Why don't we swing by the roadhouse instead? I mean, we haven't heard anything on the demon lately. We should be hunting that son of a bitch down."

"That's a good idea, you should. Just drop us off, we'll hitch a ride, and we'll meet you there tomorrow." Sam tells Dean, moving his arm so that it wraps around Isabeau's shoulders.

"Right." Dean scoffs, "Stuck ... stuck with those people, making awkward small talk until you two show up? No thanks."

* * *

Isabeau and Sam kneel before a headstone, Sam is digging in the ground with a folding knife. The headstone reads 'Mary Winchester, 1954-1983, In Loving Memory'.

Isabeau threads her fingers into the tendrils of grass, smiling as it speaks to her.

_Hello, Mother._

A bunch of the tendrils of grass call out happily, their words lapping over each other. Isabeau pats the ground lightly and brings her hands into her lap, watching Sam.

Sam pulls a set of dog tags out of his pocket and he sighs, "I think, um ... I think Dad would have wanted you to have these."

He drops the dogtags in the hole and covers them, "I love you, Mom."

Isabeau smiles comforting at Sam as tears come to his eyes. She shifts closer to him, wrapping her arm around him, running her fingers through his hair as they stare at the headstone. Isabeau never got to know Mary, she was only one-year-old when the boy's mother died.

Sam's hand reaches up and turns Isabeau's head toward him. He smiles weakly at Isabeau, "Thank you."

Isabeau presses her forehead to Sam's, "Always."

Nearby, Dean is standing by another gravestone, marked as 'Loving Father', looking pensive.

He walks by the gravestone, seeing a dying tree, and stops, frowning. He walks over to it, knocks on the trunk, considerably.

He then backs up, noticing a perfect circle of dead grass surrounding a gravestone. He crouches down, fingering dead flowers.

* * *

Dean takes a card from a man in a suit, thanking him, and then walks over to Sam and Isabeau. "Angela Mason. She was a student at the local college. Her funeral was three days ago."

All three of them start walking together. "And?" Sam asks.

Dean looks at him, "And? You saw her grave. Everything dead around it, in a perfect circle? You don't think that's a little weird?"

Isabeau shrugs, "If you wanted me to talk to nature, Dean, you're fresh out of luck. I can't talk to something that's dead."

Dean raises a brow at her, "Really? I thought that it worked either way?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, it has to be alive. Nature it's a living thing, can't talk to it if it dies. Maybe the groundskeeper went a little agro with the pesticide."

Dean shakes his head as well, "No, I asked him, I asked him. No pesticide, no chemicals. Nobody can explain it."

"Okay, so what are you thinking?" Sam asks.

Dean purses his lips, "I dunno. Unholy ground, maybe?"

"Un-" Sam stops, speechless. Isabeau stops with him, tilting her head at Dean.

Dean turns to Sam, "What? If something evil happened there, it could easily poison the ground. Remember the-the farm outside of Cedar Rapids?"

"Yeah, b-"

"Could be the sign of a demonic presence. Or the, the Angela girl's spirit, if it's powerful enough."

Sam nods, grabbing Isabeau's hand, turning away. "Well, don't get too excited, you might pull something."

Isabeau winces, "It's just... stumbling onto a hunt? Here, of all places?"

"So?" Dean asks as they stop at the impala.

Isabeau blinks and huffs out, knowing she was about to step into some rocky territory. But Sam steps in for her, thinking the same things she was, "So, are you sure this is about a hunt, and not about something else?" He asks.

"What else would it be about?" Dean leans against the impala daring Sam to say anything else.

Sam sighs heavily, shaking his head, and moves to open the passenger door, "You know, just forget about it."

"You believe what you want, Sam, but I let you drag my ass out here, the least we could do is check this out." Dean says.

He glances over at Isabeau who is staring at him with a raised brow, she wasn't happy that Dean was putting up his wall again. They just had a talk about this. Isabeau knew that she couldn't pry what Dean was thinking and feeling out of him, but she hoped that Dean would talk to her about it when he was ready.

Sam thinks for a second, "Yeah. Fine."

"Girl's dad works in town. He's a professor at the school." Dean says stepping into the car.

* * *

Isabeau knocks on the door of Dr. Mason's office inside the school, with Sam and Dean standing behind her.

Dr. Mason opens the door and Isabeau smiles softly, "Dr. Mason?"

"Yes?" Dr. Mason asks.

"I'm Sam. This is Dean and my partner, Isabeau. We were friends of Angela's. We ... we wanted to offer our condolences." Sam says politely.

Dr. Mason smiles at them, "Please, come in."

They enter and he closes the door behind them. Sitting down, he shows them a photo album. In the corner, Dean is looking through an old book.

Isabeau looks at the photo album with Dr. Mason and Sam. "She was beautiful." Isabeau comments.

Dr. Mason nods, "Yes, she was."

Dean is standing nearby, "This is an unusual book."

He shows the cover of the book he's been paging through. It has carvings of Greek letters and a triangular symbol.

Dr. Mason looks up, "It's ancient Greek. I teach a course."

Dean looks back at the book cover, placing it back on the bookshelf and walks over, "So a car accident, that's, that's horrible."

"Angie was only a mile away from home when, uh…" Dr. Mason trails off.

"It's gotta be hard... Losing someone like that. Sometimes it's like they're s-still around. Almost like you can still sense their presence." Dean empathizes.

Isabeau and Sam look at him, concerned. Isabeau reaches her hand over, and grabs onto Sam's.

"You ever feel anything like that?" Dean asks.

Dr. Mason nods, "I do, as a matter of fact."

"That's perfectly normal, Dr. Mason. Especially with what you're going through." Sam says deadpan, still looking at Dean.

Dr. Mason turns his head toward Isabeau and Sam, "You know, I still phone her. And the phone's ringing before I remember that, uh... Family's everything, you know? Angie was the most important thing in my life. And now I, I, I'm just lost without her."

Sam looks over at Dean who is looking away. Isabeau sighs, placing a comforting hand on Dr. Mason's shoulder, "We're very sorry."

* * *

"I'm telling you, there's something going on here. We just haven't found it yet." Dean says, leaning against the doorway of the bathroom as Sam washes his hands and Isabeau is sitting on the edge of one of the motel beds, slipping through one of her grimoires.

Sam looks at Dean through the mirror's reflection, "Dean, so far you've got a patch of dead grass and nothing."

Dean looks up, "Well, something turned that grave into unholy ground."

Sam turns around to face him, "There's no reason for it to be unholy ground. Angela Mason was a nice girl who died in a car crash. That's not exactly vengeful spirit material. You heard her father."

"Yeah, well, maybe Daddy doesn't know everything there is to know about his little angel, huh?" Dean walks away from the doorway and over to Isabeau, standing near her.

Sam follows him, "You know what? We never should have bothered that poor man. We shouldn't even be here anymore."

Isabeau glances up from her book briefly and flips the page. She knew their mother was a sensitive subject for Dean, so she stayed quiet about it. Let both of the brothers talk it out.

"So what, Sam? What, we just bail? Without even figuring out what's going on?" Dean asks, giving him a look.

"I think I know what's going on here." Sam pauses, "It's the only reason I went along with you this far."

Dean shakes his head, "What are you talking about?"

"This is about Mom's grave."

Dean scoffs, "That's got nothing to do with it."

"You wouldn't step within a hundred yards of it. Look. Maybe you're imagining a hunt where there isn't one so you don't have to think about Mom. Or Dad." Sam says.

Dean turns to look at him.

Sam sighs, "You wanna take another swing? Go ahead, if it'll make you feel better." Isabeau closes her grimoire, setting it aside and rubs her eyes. She didn't want to witness either brother punch each other.

Dean shakes his head minutely, "I don't need this crap." He grabs his jacket and keys and starts for the door.

Isabeau gets up, following him, "Dean, where're you going?"

Dean turns around to face her, he could feel his heart beat a little faster as Isabeau looked up at him with worried eyes. He sighs, cupping her face and placing a lazy but passionate kiss on her lips.

He pulls away, caressing her cheek with his thumb, "I'm going to go get a drink…" He says softly, "Alone."

Isabeau nods, understanding that he needed some space to think about things. Dean's eyes soften, placing one last kiss on her forehead and leaving the motel room.

Both Isabeau and Sam stare at the door as it closes on them.

* * *

Dean enters Angela's apartment, looking around. He looks over and picks up a framed picture of Angela. He catches a glimpse of a figure in reflection just before she sees him.

It's Angela's roommate, Lindsey. "Who the hell are you?" She turns and shuts herself in her bedroom.

Dean turns, walking toward the door, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on!"

"I'm calling 9-1-1!" Lindsey screams from the room.

"I'm Angela's cousin!" Dean shouts.

"What?"

"Yeah, her dad sent me over to, uh, pick up her stuff, my name's Alan? Alan Stanwick?"

Lindsey opens the door, "Her dad didn't say that you were coming."

"Well, I mean…" Dean holds up a set of keys with a smile, "How else would I have the key to your place?" He laughs reassuringly and also a bit uncomfortably.

* * *

Dean sits across from Lindsey as she's crying, blowing her nose into a tissue,

He's slightly uncomfortable at her sobbing. He's seen Isabeau cry in front of him before, but she was different. He could take Isabeau into his arms and hold her in his arms however long she needed.

Dean clears his throat, "So, I'm sure you got a, a view of Angela that none of the family got to see. Tell me, what, what was she like? I mean, what was she really like?"

Lindsey smiles weakly, "She was great."

Dean nods, "Hmm."

"Just... great. I mean, she was so... so…" Lindsey trails off, her smile becoming a frown as she tries to hold back her tears.

"Great." Dean simply says.

"Yeah. Yeah." Lindsey sobs again.

"Yeah." Dean hands her a tissue, "Here you go. You two must have been really close, huh?"

Lindsey nods, "We were. But it's not just her, it's Matt."

"Who?" Dean asks.

"Angela's boyfriend." Lindsey says, like Dean should already know who that is.

Dean shakes his head, "Right, Matt. What about him?"

"He killed himself last night. He cut his own throat. Who does that?"

Dean pauses, "That's... terrible."

"He was taking Angela's death pretty hard, and I guess... I mean, he'd been messed up about it for days." Lindsey says.

"Messed up how?" Dean asks.

"He kept saying that he saw her everywhere." Lindsey explains.

"Well, I'm, I'm sure that that's normal, I mean with everything that he was going through."

"No, he said that he _saw_ her. As in, an acid trip or something."

"Were Angela and Matt a happy couple? I mean, is there any reason that Angela would be angry with him?" Dean asks.

"What?" Lindsey shakes her head, "No, of course not, why do you ask?"

"Just asking. Where did Matt live?"

* * *

Sam is sitting on the edge of the bed, watching Isabeau put on the last bit of her clothing as he himself puts on his shirt. His eyes trail down the marks he left on Isabeau's skin, proud of his work.

Isabeau winces as her fingers brush over the marks, "Damn, Stretch." She whispers out with a giggle.

Sam chuckles, "Could've stopped me if it hurt."

Isabeau smirks, walking over to Sam and straddles his waist, "Nah, I, uh, like it." Isabeau says with a nonchalant shrug. When it came to Sam, she liked how rough he could be. Which was opposite of what Isabeau originally thought.

Sam smirks, "Really?"

If Isabeau's heart could swoon, it would. Sam's smirk was deadly, and she loved it, "Really. I know you like it too." Her hands slip under the back of his shirt, feeling the scratch marks that her nails left.

Isabeau and Sam look over as Dean opens the door. Isabeau smiles at him, "Hey."

Dean enters slowly, staring at the two with a smug smirk.

"What?" Sam asks.

Dean just shakes his head, "See you two had a fun time."

Isabeau gets up from Sam's lap and goes up to Dean, placing a soft kiss on his lips, "Where in the hell were you?"

Dean throws his jacket to the side, kissing Isabeau again and walking deeper into the room, "Working my imaginary case."

"Yeah? And?" Sam asks.

"Well, you were right, I didn't find much."

Sam nods, sympathetically and Isabeau shoves her hands in her jean pockets.

Dean nods, "Yeah. Except Angela's boyfriend died last night. Slit his own throat. But, you know, that's normal. Uh, let's see, what else. Oh, he was seeing Angela everywhere before he died. But you know, I'm sure that's just me transferring my own feelings." Dean takes off his button up, tossing that aside as well.

"Okay, I get it. I'm sorry, maybe there is something going on here." Sam apologies.

Dean turns to him, "Maybe? Sam, I know how to do my job, despite what you might think."

Isabeau sighs, "We should check out the guy's apartment." She says hoping to relieve some of the tension in the room.

Dean turns to her and takes a seat, taking off his shoes, "I just came from there. Pile of dead plants, just like the cemetery. Hell, dead goldfish too."

Isabeau frowns at his words. Yes, even the mention of a dead goldfish upset her. Isabeau scratches the back of her head, "So, unholy ground?" She suggests.

"Maybe. I'm still not getting that powerful angry spirit vibe from Angela." Dean gets up, crosses the room to pick up a pink book, "I have been reading this, though."

Sam shakes his head, "You stole the girl's diary?"

"Yeah, Sam." Dean opens the diary, flipping through it, "And if anything the girl's a little too nice."

"Dude," Isabeau starts, both brothers look at her as she gives him a look, "Total invasion of privacy, number one and number two… I'm seriously questioning a girl that keeps a diary in her twenties."

Sam can't help, but chuckle at Isabeau and turn to Dean, "So what do you want to do?"

"Keep digging, talk to more of her friends."

"You get any names?"

Isabeau scoffs, "Are you kidding me? Dean has her bestest friend in the whole wide world." She waves her hand, making the diary fly into it with a smirk.

* * *

"I didn't realize the college employed grief counselors." Neil says as they all stand outside of Neil's house.

Dean nods, "Oh yeah. Yeah, you talk, we listen. And maybe throw in a little therapeutic collage, whatever jump-starts the healing."

"Well, I think I'm okay. Thanks." Neil says, going to step back into his house.

"Well, you heard what happened to Matt Harrison, right?" Sam asks, stopping Neil.

Neil nods, "Yeah, I did."

"Well, we just wanted to make sure you were okay. Grief can make people do crazy things." Sam says.

Neil stares at them, "Look, I'm sorry about what happened to him. I am. But if Matt killed himself it wasn't 'cause of grief."

Isabeau tilts her head, "No? Then why?"

"It was guilt. Angie's death was Matt's fault and he knew it." Neil says.

"How was Matt responsible?" Isabeau asks.

"Well, she really loved that guy. But the night of the accident she walked in on him with another girl." Neil tells them.

Isabeau's eyes widen and clenches her jaw, "Hmm." Dean and Sam glance at her. Isabeau never really talked to either of them about the details of her first relationship. All they knew is that he cheated on her, they didn't know how bad it actually was.

"She was really torn up, that's why she crashed the car. Um, look, I gotta get ready for work, so ... thanks for the concern, but... seriously, I'll be okay." Neil goes back into his house, leaving the three of them alone.

Dean turns and looks significantly at Sam and Isabeau.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam walk away from the house and down the street to the impala. "Well, that vengeful spirit theory's starting to make a little more sense. I mean, hell hath no fury…" Dean says.

"So if Angela got her revenge on Matt, you think it's over?" Sam asks.

Dean inhales deeply, "Well, there's one way to be sure."

All three get into the car, "Yeah? What's that?" Sam asks once they close the doors.

Dean glances over at Isabeau and Sam, "Burn the bones."

Isabeau looks at him, "Burn the bones?" She scoffs with a chuckle, "Are you high?"

Dean thinks about that. Isabeau gives him a look, "Angela died last week!"

Dean chuckles, "So?"

Sam gives him a look as well, "So, there's not gonna be bones. There's gonna be a ripe, rotting body in the coffin."

"Since when are you afraid to get dirty? Huh?" Dean asks as he turns over the engine.


	10. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things Pt.2

Dean, Isabeau and Sam dig at Angela's grave site. They're panting and sweating with exertion. Standing on the coffin, Dean clears the rest of the dirt off and turns to Isabeau, "Ladies first."

Isabeau sighs, picking up her flashlight and handing it to Sam, "Hold that."

She shakes her head as she leans down, and opens the coffin. Isabeau tilts her head in confusion at the empty coffin as Sam and Dean look at each other.

* * *

All three of them stare down at Angela's empty coffin, "They buried the body four days ago." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "I don't get it."

In the light of the flashlight that she took back, Isabeau sees something carved into the inside of the coffin, "Look."

All three of them crouch down to take a closer look, "What is that?" Dean asks.

"I'm not sure." Sam says.

"I've seen these kind of symbols before." Dean tells them.

Isabeau reaches her hand out, touching the markings. She felt a shiver go down her spine and her entire body filled with dread. She suddenly felt dizzy, "Think I'm gonna be sick."

She stands up from her crouched position and leans against the hole they dug, "Oh, god." She takes a deep breath and she feels two hands rub on her back.

"Hey, you okay?" Dean asks.

"Breathe, Beau." Sam says.

Isabeau nods, giving them a thumbs up, "Yeah, just… all I feel is death and decay. New side effects of psychometry… feeling the emotions of the past. Just give me a minute and I'll be good."

* * *

Dean pounds heavily on Dr. Mason's door, very agitated.

Isabeau stares at Dean worried as Sam talks, "Dean. Take it easy, okay?"

Dr. Mason opens the door, "You're Angie's friends, right?"

Isabeau smiles weakly, speaking gently, "Dr. Mason…"

"We need to talk." Dean says harshly, interrupting her.

Dr. Mason stares at them, opening his door slightly, "Well, then, come in."

"Thanks." Sam says as they walk in.

* * *

The three stand in Dr. Mason's house. "You teach Ancient Greek. Tell me…" Dean unwraps a piece of paper, "...What are these?"

He shows Dr. Mason the paper on which he's copied the symbols from the grave.

Dr. Mason takes the paper, "I don't understand. You said this had something to do with Angela."

"It does. Please, just humor me." Dean asks.

"They're part of an ancient Greek divination ritual." Dr. Mason tells them.

Dean nods, "Used for necromancy, right?"

"That's right." Dr. Mason confirms.

"See, before we came over here we stopped by the library and did a little homework ourselves. Apparently they used rituals like this one for communicating with the dead. Even bringing corpses back to life. Full-on zombie action." Dean explains.

Isabeau shifts in her spot. That's why she was feeling sick earlier. Necromancy was a craft that Isabeau never touched… well, she touched once and it was horrifying. Getting high at a college party with a bunch of dumb humans wasn't the best idea.

"Yes. I mean, according to the legends. Now, what's all this about?" Dr. Mason folds up the paper, handing it back to Dean.

Sam, watching Dr. Mason's face is having doubts, but Dean pushes on, "I think you know."

"Dean." Sam warns.

"Look, I get it. Okay? There are people that I would give anything to see again. But what gives you the right?" Dean asks.

"Dean!" Isabeau warns him as well.

"What are you talking about?" Dr. Mason asks, confused.

"What's dead should stay dead!" Dean growls. Isabeau's eyes widen at his words.

"What?!"

"Stop it!" Sam shouts. He glances at Isabeau who just stares at Dean sadly.

"What you brought back isn't even your daughter anymore. These things are vicious, they're violent, they're so nasty they rot the ground around them. I mean, come on, haven't you seen Pet Sematary?" Dean shouts.

"You're insane." Dr. Mason tells him, walking over to grab a phone.

Dean turns, "Where is she?"

"Get out of my house." He starts dialing the phone, but Dean knocks it out of his hand.

"I know you're hiding her somewhere. Where is she?!" Dean shouts again.

"Dean! Stop, that's enough! Dean, look!" Isabeau grabs Dean's jacket, and points to a row of plants by the window, "Beautiful, living plants."

She turns to Dr. Mason, "We're leaving."

"I'm calling the police." Dr. Mason tells her.

Dean pulls out of Isabeau's grip and storms for the door.

Sam sighs, "Sir, we're sorry. We won't bother you again." Sam and Isabeau follow Dean to the door and leave.

* * *

Dean strides down the steps and along the sidewalk, Sam and Isabeau following. "What the hell is the matter with you, Dean?" Sam asks.

"Back off." Dean says.

Isabeau points back at the house, "That man is innocent! He didn't deserve that!"

Dean shrugs, "Okay, so she's not here, maybe he's keeping her somewhere else."

"Stop it! That's enough, okay? Enough!" Sam shouts, the two brothers now staring each other down as they walk.

"Sam, I know what I'm doing."

"No, you don't. At all. Dean, we don't scare easy, but man, you're scaring the crap out of us." Sam says, referring to himself and Isabeau.

Dean rolls his eyes, "Don't be overdramatic, Sam."

Isabeau shakes her head with a bitter laugh, "You're lucky this turned out to be a real case. Because if it wasn't you would have just found something else to kill."

Dean stops, turning to her, "Wha-"

Isabeau raises her arms in defense, "You're on edge, you're erratic - except for when you're hunting, because then you're downright scary. You're tailspinning, Dean. And you refuse to talk about it and you won't let me help you."

Dean stares at her, saying nothing, "I'm your girlfriend! And I'm also Sam's. I'm always there for both of you, and I give you time, I do. But I'm worried, Dean. I'm scared."

Dean sighs, "I don't want to burden you, I can take care of myself." Isabeau stares at him in disbelief. Was that how he thought of himself to her, a burden?

Dean starts walking away, and Isabeau and Sam follow. Sam furrows his brow, shaking his head, "No, you can't. And you know what? You're the only one who thinks you should have to. You don't have to handle this on your own, Dean, no one can."

"Sam, if you bring up Dad's death one more time I swear…" Dean overlaps Sam.

Sam reaches out to his brother, stopping all three of them again, "Stop. Please, Dean, it's killing you. Please. We've already lost Dad. We've lost Mom. I've lost Jessica. We almost lost Isabeau. And now I'm going to lose you too?"

"We better get out of here before the cops come." Dean says, ignoring Sam's words.

Sam frowns at him.

Dean nods, "I hear you. Okay? Yeah, I'm being an ass. And I'm sorry." He looks at Isabeau, "I'm sorry. But right now we've got a friggin' zombie running around, and we need to figure out how to kill it."

Sam laughs as Isabeau rubs her face.

"Right?" Dean asks them.

Sam shakes his head, "Our lives are weird, man."

"You're telling me. Come on." Dean says, throwing an arm around Isabeau's shoulder.

* * *

Dean is pacing in their motel room, Sam sitting on the bed with John's journal as Isabeau is sitting at the table flipping through her own books.

"We can't just waste it with a head shot?" Dean asks.

"Dude. You've been watching way too many Romero flicks." Sam says.

"You're telling me there's no lore on how to smoke 'em." He goes to sit at the table with Isabeau by the window. He takes one of Isabeau's hands in his as she flips through her books with the other.

Sam shakes his head, "No, Dean, I'm telling you there's too much. I mean, there's a hundred different legends on the walking dead, but they all have different methods for killing them." He joins Dean and Isabeau at the table.

Isabeau clears her throat, not looking up, "Some say setting them on fire, uh, one said, where is it? Right here. Feeding their hearts to wild dogs. That's my personal favorite. I mean, who knows what's real and what's myth?" Isabeau says slamming her book shut as Sam does the same to John's journal.

"Is there anything they all have in common?" Dean asks the both of them.

"No." Sam sighs, "But a few said silver might work."

"Silver's a start."

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. But now how are we going to find Angela?"

Dean squeezes her hand, "We've got to figure out the person who brought her back."

"Any ideas?"

"I think if it's not her dad it might be that guy Neil." Dean lets go of Isabeau's hand, petting the back of her head as he gets up and walks away from them.

"Neil?" Sam says as him and Isabeau turn to him.

"Yep." Dean says, picking up the pink diary.

Isabeau crosses her legs and leans against the back of her chair, "How'd you come up with that?"

"Well, you two got your journals, I've got mine." Dean begins to read from the diary, "'Neil's a real shoulder to cry on, he so understands what I'm going through with Matt.' There's more in here where that came from. It's got unrequited Duckie love written all over it."

Sam shakes his head, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean he brought her back from the dead."

Dean hums, "Hmm. Did I mention he's Professor Mason's TA? Has access to all the same books."

Sam and Isabeau look speculative.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam walk into Neil's house. The house is dark and quiet. "Hello? Neil?! It's your grief counselors. We've come to hug." Dean says and he pulls out a gun.

Sam looks at it, "Silver bullets?"

"Yeah, enough to make her rattle like a change purse." Dean says as they start stalking through the house, Dean in the lead with the gun out.

Isabeau looks over and points to the wilted plants by a window as they walk through.

They find the entrance to the basement and Dean nods at it, "Unless it's where he keeps his porn…"

Sam opens the door and Dean leads the way down the stairs to the basement. There's a bed and other things alluding to the fact that someone was living down there, but at the moment, it's empty.

"It sure looks like a zombie pen to me." Dean says.

"Yeah. An empty one. You think Angela's going after somebody?" Sam asks.

Isabeau looks around, finds a loose grate and pulls it aside. It leads out, somewhere, "Nah, I think she went out to rent Beaches." She says jokingly.

Sam comes over and smacks her on the ass for her comment. Isabeau looks up at him surprised at his actions, "Look, she might kill someone. We gotta find her, Isabeau."

Isabeau nods, regretting joking around, "Yeah. All right. She, uh, she clipped Matt because he was cheating, right?"

Sam nods at her, "Yeah."

Dean comes over, "Well, it takes two to, you know, have hardcore sex."

Isabeau smirks as Sam shakes his head at him.

"I don't know, it just seemed that, uh, Angela's roommate was broken up over Matt's death. I mean, like, really broken up." Dean clarifies.

Isabeau winces, "Ouch."

* * *

Lindsey is sitting in the dim house looking at a framed picture of Matt and Angela. She hears a noise, gets up and goes to the front door. "Hello?" She calls out nervously.

She opens the door, sees nothing. She turns, and Angela is there. "Hi Lindsey, I'm home!" Angela grabs her by the hair as Lindsey screams.

Angela closes the door and Lindsey breaks away from Angela, screaming. She runs into the kitchen and Angela follows, picking up a pair of scissors from the counter. "You know what you did!" Angela shouts.

Lindsey breathes heavily, "I'm sorry. I am so, so-"

"You're not sorry enough!" Angela cuts her off, stabbing at her with the scissors, but Lindsey ducks.

Angela attacks again and Lindsey goes down to the floor. As Angela advances, Lindsey kicks out, knocking Angela forward onto the scissors and she goes still.

Lindsey gets up, cautiously shoves Angela's body over and the scissors are sticking out of her chest. "Oh God. Oh god. Oh my god. Oh my god, oh, oh-"

Angela's eyes open, she grabs Lindsey by the hair and pulls the scissors out. As she pulls them both to standing, readying the scissors to stab Lindsey, several shots are fired and Angela convulses.

Angela turns around with a scream to face Dean, Isabeau and Sam. Dean fires the gun again, right in Angela's chest. She screams and bolts out the window, Dean follows. Isabeau runs to Lindsey, helping her, "Gotcha. I gotcha."

Sam stands behind Isabeau, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Dean comes back through the window, "Damn, that dead chick can run."

"What now?" Sam asks.

"I say we go have a little chat with Neil."

* * *

Dean is driving the impala on the highway, Sam in the passenger's seat and Isabeau is in the middle with one of her grimoires open.

"So the silver bullets, they did something, right?" Sam asks Dean.

"Yeah, something, but not enough." Dean glances at Isabeau, "What else you got?"

Isabeau sighs, "Um, okay, besides silver, we have... nailing the undead back into their grave beds. It's mentioned a few times. It's probably where the whole vampire staking lore came from."

"Their grave beds? You serious?" Dean asks her in disbelief.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah."

"How the hell are we going to get Angela back to the cemetery?" Dean asks.

* * *

Neil is sitting in the dark in his office, nervous. Dean, Isabeau and Sam enter. Neil looks over at them confused, "What are you guys doing here?"

The door closes behind them as they walk forward. Isabeau chuckles, "You know, I've heard of people doing some pretty desperate things to get laid, but you… you take the cake."

Neil shakes his head, "Okay. Who are you guys?"

"You might want to ask Angela that question." Dean says.

"What?"

Sam shakes his head at him, "We know what you did. The ritual? Everything."

Neil scoffs at them, "You're crazy."

Dean leans forward, "Your girlfriend's past her expiration date and we're crazy? When someone's gone they should stay gone." Isabeau briefly glances away. "You don't mess with that kind of stuff." Dean says.

Sam glares at Neil, "Angela killed Matt. She tried to kill Lindsey."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Neil says.

Dean stomps over to the other side of the desk and hauls Neil up by the collar, "Hey! No more crap, Neil. His blood is on your hands. Now, me and them can make this right, but you've gotta tell us where she is. Tell us!"

Neil stares at him, "My house. She's at my house."

Dean lets him go, then sees several potted plants by the window; they're dead. He looks at Neil, "You sure about that?"

Neil nods, looking around nervously. Dean looks past him to see a closet. Thinking, he seems to get an idea. He raises his voice slightly, "Listen. It doesn't really matter where she is."

Dean walks over to Isabeau and Sam, "There's only one way to stop her. We've got to perform another ritual over her grave, to reverse the one that you did. We're going to need some black root, some, some scar weed, some candles... It's very complicated, but it'll get the job done. She'll be dead again in a couple hours. I think you should come with us."

Dean and Neil stare each other down, "I'm serious, Neil. Leave with us. Right now." Dean demands.

Neil shakes his head, "No. No."

Dean leans in, lowering his voice, "Listen to me. Get out of here as soon as you can. But most of all, be cool. No sudden movements. Don't make her mad."

Dean turns around, "Let's go." He says to Sam and Isabeau, and they all leave.

* * *

Around Angela's grave, Isabeau's eyes glow a fiery orange as she lights the candles, "You really think this is going to work?" She asks, lighting the last bit of the candles.

Dean shakes his head, looking over at her, "No, not really. But it was the only thing I could come up with."

All three hear a noise, and they nod to each other. Isabeau's eyes seem to glow a little brighter as Sam stands and pulls a gun from the small of his back.

He stalks in the direction of the sound, away from Isabeau and Dean. Some distance away, he freezes, hearing something behind him. Angela advances towards him, he turns at the last minute, and points the gun at Angela.

She stops short, "Wait! It's not what you think. I didn't ask to be brought back. But it's still me. I'm still a person. Please."

After hearing her out, Sam fires the gun, hitting her square in the forehead. She screams, her head snapping back. The bullet had no effect.

Sam bolts back towards the grave. She tackles him, and he lands hard on the ground. Angela twists his head back and Dean fires at her, startling her back to stand.

As she turns to run, she stops in fear as Isabeau stands in front of her, eyes glowing violet now. She smirks at Angela, "Hiya." She waves her arm and Angela goes flying over her and into the open grave, landing in the empty coffin.

Dean takes out a long metal stake and runs to the grave, sliding the last length on his knees and diving into the coffin. He buries the stake in her chest, pinning her in.

"Wait, don't!" Angela screams.

Dean drives it further in and she gasps one last time, then goes limp.

Dean pulls back, panting, "What's dead should stay dead."

* * *

The next morning, Dean,Isabeau and Sam pat down the dirt over the grave, panting, "Rest in peace." Isabeau says, leaning into her shovel.

"Yeah. For good this time, okay?" Dean agrees.

They turn away, heading for the car, picking up their jackets as they go. Sam grunts as he lifts the shovel over one shoulder, "You know, that whole fake ritual thing, luring Angela into the cemetery? Pretty sharp."

Dean nods, "Thanks."

Sam scoffs, "But did we have to use me as bait?

Dean smiles, "I figured you were more her type. You know, she had pretty crappy taste in guys."

Isabeau wacks him over the head, "Excuse me, sir. I am dating the both of you. If that were true, you're in the same boat."

Dean purses his lips, throwing his arm over her shoulder, "And I am lucky to be in that boat." He leans down, pressing his lips to hers.

Sam shakes his head fondly at them, "I think she broke my hand."

Dean laughs, "You're just too fragile. We'll get it looked at later." He turns back to Mary's grave, pausing.

Sam sighs, "You want to stay for a while?"

Dean pauses, "No." He turns, heading back to the impala and they drop their things in the trunk. They get in, Dean in the driver's side and Sam lets Isabeau get in first before getting in himself.

* * *

Driving along the highway, Dean is scowling. Sam and Isabeau look at him, concerned from their position, Isabeau back in between his legs and leaning back against his chest.

Dean pulls the car across the road to stop on the opposite shoulder. He gets out and sits on the hood. Sam and Isabeau follow.

"Dean, what is it?" Isabeau asks, coming up to sit next to him.

Dean doesn't say anything for a moment, "I'm sorry."

"You… For what?" Sam asks.

"The way I've been acting." Dean looks down.

Sam crosses to sit on the hood, sitting next to Isabeau.

Dean looks up, "And for Dad. I mean, he was your dad too. And it's my fault that he's gone."

Sam shakes his head, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you've been thinking it, so have I. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Back at the hospital, I made a full recovery. It was a miracle. And five minutes later Dad's dead and the Colt's gone." Dean looks over at them.

Isabeau sighs, "Dean."

"You can't tell me there's not a connection there." Dean pauses, "I don't know how the demon was involved. I don't know how the whole thing went down exactly. But Dad's dead because of me. And that much I do know."

"We don't know that. Not for sure." Sam looks over at him.

"Sam… Isabeau…" Dean starts crying, "You two and Dad... you're the most important people in my life. And now... I never should've come back, Sam. It wasn't natural. And now look what's come of it. I was dead. And I should have stayed dead. You wanted to know how I was feeling. Well, that's it."

Isabeau looks forward, thinking about his words as Sam nods.

"So tell me. What could you possibly say to make that all right?" Dean turns to look at Sam and he looks away, close to tears himself. Dean looks away.

Isabeau huffs, getting up from the hood and turns to Dean, "Stop blaming yourself."

Dean sighs, "Beau, please, I-"

Isabeau shakes her head, "No. Whatever John did, he knew the consequences. Hell, if anything I should be guilty."

Sam furrows his brows, "What?"

Isabeau bites her lips, digging them into her jacket pockets, "I've died three times, guys. If anyone should be dead, it's me."

Dean shakes his head, "Beau, no."

"Yes, Dean." Isabeau nods, "I was a stillborn. I was dead before my mother gave birth to me, but somehow I'm still breathing. I should've died in Nebraska when I got electrocuted and I died in that hospital bed after the demon tried to kill me…"

Dean and Sam stare at her as she looks away, "I get it, Dean. I do. That's what _I_ can say to make you feel somewhat at ease. You're not alone, Dean. Something… someone brought me back from death."

Isabeau turns back to them, tears in her eyes, "I don't want to leave you guys. Not now or anytime soon, but…"

Isabeau looks out at the mountain side, not wanting to face Sam and Dean, "Why won't I die?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! So happy I finished this! Hopefully I am out of my slump this week, I feel more motivated to write again. Plus, I love seeing that people really like Isabeau and it makes me so happy that you guys like her character! Thank you!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	11. Simon Said Pt.1

Sam gasps, leaning over the sink in a dingy bathroom, the water running. Flashes of white fill his vision.

He runs a hand under the water and washes his face, scrubbing the hand through his hair. As he shuts the water off and looks up into the mirror.

The door bursts open to reveal Dean, "Sam, come on, zip it up. Let's hit the…" He pauses, absorbing Sam's condition, "...road. What?"

Isabeau comes into the doorway as well, not caring that it was the men's bathroom. She looks at Sam, worried, "Sam, you alright?"

Sam says nothing, breathing heavily and blinking.

* * *

Dean is driving the impala down a dark two-lane road, Sam in the passenger's seat, and Isabeau sitting in the back seat this time, leaning forward onto the front seat. The radio is playing.

"Rockin' Nebraska. Your source for the classics, all night long." The radio announcer's voice rings out.

Dean shakes his head, "I don't know, man, why don't we just chill out, think about this."

Sam shuts off the radio, "What's there to think about?"

Dean glances at him, "I just don't know if going to the Roadhouse is the smartest idea."

"Dean, it's another premonition. I know it. This is gonna happen, and Ash can tell us where." Sam says.

"Yeah, man, but…"

Sam interrupts, "Plus it could have some connection with the demon. My visions always do."

"That's my point." Dean exclaims, "There's gonna be hunters there. I don't know if, if, if going in and announcing that you're some supernatural freak with a, a demonic connection is the best thing, okay?"

Sam stares a them, "So I'm a freak now?"

Dean slaps Sam on the thigh, "You've always been a freak." Dean smiles weakly and turns back to the road.

Sam turns to Isabeau, "Beau… What do you think?"

Isabeau sighs, "It'll be fine. Ellen we can trust, I mean she knows what I am and well, I'm pretty sure she hasn't told anyone besides Jo."

* * *

Jo is playing a shooter arcade game inside the roadhouse as an older man watches. She hits every target, and he groans, "Damn, little lady, that was my room money."

Jo takes the money he pulls out, "Well, I guess you're taking a truck nap tonight."

As she walks away, pleased with herself, Ellen walks over, "Oughta check the high scores before you put your money down."

She presses a button on the game and a list of high scores; all reading 'Player: Jo' scrolls across the screen, "You went and got yourself hustled, Ed."

Dean, Isabeau and Sam enter, passing two men at a table cleaning weapons. Isabeau almost runs into Jo, who stops, smiling, "Just can't stay away, huh?"

Isabeau smiles with a chuckle, "Yeah, looks like. How you doin', Jo?"

"Where's Ash?" Sam says urgently.

"In his back room." Jo tells him.

"Great." Sam says, brushing past her.

"And I'm fine…" Jo says sarcastically to Sam.

Dean wraps his arms around Isabeau's waist, pulling her close, "Sorry, he's, we're... kind of on a bit of a timetable."

Jo nods understanding, "Mm-hmm."

"So…" Dean directs Isabeau and himself towards the back room, walking past Jo.

* * *

Sam approaches a rough wooden door with a sign hanging on it that reads: 'Dr. Badass Is: IN'. He knocks on the door, "Ash? Hey, Ash?"

Isabeau and Dean walk over and Dean also knocks on the door, "Hey, Dr. Badass?"

The door is unlatched and opens a crack to reveal Ash, who is naked. Dean averts his eyes and covers Isabeau's eyes with the hand that was wrapped around her waist.

"Seriously?" Isabeau whispers, only seeing black. Sam looks over, averting his eyes as well.

"Sam? Isabeau? Dean?" Ash sniffs, "Sam, Isabeau and Dean."

Isabeau is able to pry Dean's hand from her eyes, looking at Ash, unfazed by his appearance, "Hey, Ash. Um. We need your help."

"Well, hell then. Guess I need my pants." Ash smiles and shuts the door.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean head back into the main part of the roadhouse, waiting for Ash. "Do I wanna know why you were unfazed by Ash?" Dean asks.

Isabeau shrugs, "Art student; seen multiple naked men and women. At this point I'm numb. I wouldn't bat an eye if someone walked through that door right now naked."

Sam chuckles, "Let's hope not."

* * *

Ash is sitting at a table with his laptop open, looking at the hand-drawn sketch of the bus logo from Sam's vision. Sam sits across from him with Isabeau and Dean stands behind them.

"Well, I got a match. It's the logo from the Blue Ridge bus lines in Guthrie, Oklahoma." Ash says.

"Okay. Do me a favor; check Guthrie for any demonic signs, or omens, or anything like that." Sam asks.

"You think the demon's there?" Ash asks.

Sam pauses, glazing at Isabeau, "Yeah, maybe."

"Why would you think that?"

"Just check it, all right?" Dean demands from behind Ash.

Ash gives him a look and continues his work. Dean, Isabeau and Sam frown at each other.

Ash shakes his head, "No, sir, nothing. No demon."

Sam nods, itching at his cast, "All right, try something else for me. Search Guthrie for a house fire. It would be 1983, fire's origin would be a baby's nursery, night of the kid's six month birthday."

Ash looks at him, startled, and Dean looks around to check for eavesdroppers. Jo, cleaning a table nearby, is watching them.

"Okay, now that is just weird, man. Why the hell would I be looking for that?" Ash asks.

Isabeau pulls out a beer bottle and sets it next to the laptop, "'Cause there's a PBR in it for ya." She smiles at him.

"Give me fifteen minutes." Ash immediately answers.

Isabeau nods, looking over to see Sam still itching at his cast, "Stop that." She pulls his other hand away, scolding him.

* * *

Jo presses a few buttons on the jukebox and the opening chords to REO Speedwagon 'Can't Fight This Feeling' play.

Isabeau, sitting at the bar, chokes on her beer as Dean sitting next to her, looks up horrified. Jo carries a tray to the bar and sets it down, catching Isabeau's eye.

"What?" Jo asks her.

Isabeau shakes her head with a smile, placing a discrete hand on Dean's thigh, "REO Speedwagon?"

Jo nods, walking over, "Damn right REO. Kevin Cronin sings it from the heart."

Dean smiles, "He sings it from the hair. There's a difference." He takes a sip of his beer, his other hand, placing itself on top of Isabeau's hand.

Jo looks back at her mother and turns back to Dean and Isabeau, "That profile you've got Ash looking for?"

Dean hums, "Hmm."

"Your mom died the same way, didn't she? A fire in Sam's nursery?" Jo asks.

Dean squeezes Isabeau's hand, "Look, Jo, it's kind of a family thing."

Jo nods, "I could help."

Isabeau sighs, "I'm sure you could. But we've got to handle this one ourselves. Besides, if we ran off with you I think your mother might kill us."

Ellen, cleaning glasses behind the bar, looks at them. Isabeau and Dean smile nervously.

"You're afraid of my mother?" Jo asks, amused.

Dean chuckles, "I think so."

Isabeau shrugs, "The woman is intimidating, can you blame us?" Jo chuckles, shaking her head.

Sam comes up behind Jo with a pile of papers, "We have a match. We've gotta go."

"All right, Jo. See you later." Isabeau says, giving a quick hug to Jo and walks out of the roadhouse with Sam and Dean.

* * *

Isabeau leans her head against Dean's shoulder as he drives the impala, singing 'Can't Fight This Feeling' acapella, softly.

" _And even as I wander, I'm keeping you in sight_

_You're a candle in the window on a cold dark winter night_

_And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might…"_

Sam and Dean smile at her, even though they weren't fond of the song, they enjoyed Isabeau's voice. More and more she was singing in front of them, and they loved it. Sam chuckles, taking Isabeau's hand in his own, "You're kidding, right?"

Isabeau shrugs, not removing her head from Dean's shoulder, "I heard the song somewhere, I can't get it out of my head. I don't know, Stretch. Whaddya got?"

Sam looks at the stack of papers in his lap, "Andrew Gallagher. Born in eighty three, like me. Lost his mother in a nursery fire exactly six months later, also like me."

"You think the demon killed his mom?" Dean glances over at Sam.

Sam presses his lips into a thin line, "Sure looks like it."

"How did you even know to look for this guy?" Isabeau asks.

"Every premonition I've had, if they're not about the demon they're about the other kids the demon visited. Like Max Miller, remember him?" Sam recalls.

"Yeah, but Max Miller was a pasty little psycho." Dean says with a chuckle.

"The point is he was killing people. And I was having the same type of visions about him. And now it could be happening all over again with this Gallagher guy." Sam explains.

"How do we find him?"

"Don't know." Sam says, "No current address, no current employment. He still owes money on all his bills - phone, credit, utilities…"

Isabeau lifts her head up, "Collection agency flags?"

"None in the system."

Isabeau's eyes widen, "They just let him take a walk?"

Sam frowns, "Seems like it. There's a work address from his last W-2, about a year ago. Let's start there."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam are sitting inside a coffee shop, in their suits as the waitress, Tracey, pours Sam and Dean their cups of coffee. "You won't get anything out of Andy, guys. I'm sorry, but they never do." Tracey says.

"'They'?" Sam asks as Tracey sets down Isabeau's tea.

"You're debt collectors, right? Once in a while they come by. I don't know what Andy says to them, but they never come back." Tracey tells them.

Dean nods, "Actually we're, we're lawyers. Representing his Great Aunt Leta. She passed, God rest her soul, and left Andy a sizable estate."

"Yeah. So, are you a friend of his?" Isabeau asks, crossing her legs.

Tracey nods, "I used to be, yeah. I don't see much of Andy anymore."

"Andy?" A random man asks, taking a seat with them, "Andy kicks ass, man."

"Is that right?" Dean asks.

"Yeah." The man affirms, "Andy can get you into anything. He even got me backstage at Aerosmith once, it was beautiful, bro." The three smile slightly, amused.

"How about bussing a table or two, Weber?" Tracey asks him.

Weber looks back and forth between all of them, "Yeah. You bet, boss." He gets up with a smile and walks away.

Tracy looks back at the three, "Look, if you want to find him, try Orchard Street. Just look for a van with a barbarian queen painted on the side."

Dean blinks, "Barbarian queen?"

Tracey nods, "She's riding a polar bear. It's kind of hard to miss."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam stake out Orchard Street, watching the aforementioned van-with-barbarian-queen. "I'm sorry, I'm starting to like this dude. That van is sweet." Dean says, looking at it through his side mirror.

Dean looks over at Sam who has his arm draped over Isabeau's shoulders and is frowning. "What's wrong?" Dean asks.

Sam shakes his head, "Nothing."

"Sam, you look like you're sucking on a lemon," Dean chuckles, "What's going on?"

"This Andrew Gallagher, he's the second guy like this we've found, Dean. Demon came to them when they were kids, now they're killing people." Sam says.

Isabeau bites her lip, "We don't know what Andrew Gallagher is, all right? He could be innocent."

Sam looks down at her, "My visions haven't been wrong yet."

Dean sighs, "What's your point?"

"My point is, I'm one of them."

Isabeau scoffs, "No, you're not."

"Isabeau, the demon said he had plans for me and children like me." Sam says.

Isabeau shakes her head, "Yeah?"

Sam nods, "Yeah, maybe _this_ is his plan, maybe we're all a bunch of psychic freaks, maybe we're all supposed to be-"

Dean turns his head, "What, killers?"

"Yeah."

"So, the demon wants you out there killing with your minds, is that it? Come on, give me a break. You're not a murderer, Sam! You don't have it in your bones." Dean tells him.

Sam pauses, "No? Last I checked, I kill all kinds of things."

"Those things were asking for it. There's a difference." Dean says.

Isabeau plays with her rosary, "Sam, you are nothing like that Matt kid and if Andrew is like that kid; you aren't like him either."

Isabeau huffs, "Plus whatever the demon has planned, it seems like I'm involved too. He's interested in me for some odd reason."

Dean pats her thigh, "Yeah, well, we aren't letting the demon anywhere near you." Dean looks out the window, away from Sam and Isabeau.

Andy exits a building, wearing pajamas and a long satin robe embroidered with dragons, "Got him." Sam says.

A woman in a second-story window waves to Andy, who blows her a kiss. Andy greets a man on the street, who smiles at him and hands Andy his coffee. Further along, Andy greets Dr. Jennings and shakes his hand.

Sam perks up, "That's him. That older guy, that's him, that's the shooter."

"All right, you two keep on him, I'll stick with Andy. Go." Dean orders.

Sam and Isabeau get out of the car and follow Dr. Jennings on foot. Andy gets in his van and drives off, Dean following in his car.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau watch Dr. Jennings from a short distance. Dr. Jennings' cell phone rings and he answers, "Hello. Yeah."

Sam sees the Blue Ridge bus approach, he grabs Isabeau's hand and crosses in front of the bus with her, towards the sporting goods store. They run up the steps and inside, looking around.

Sam sees the clerk and bystanders from his vision. "Sam, got a plan?" Isabeau asks.

Sam turns, seeing the fire alarm, "Yep." He pulls the alarm.

Dr. Jennings approaches the store, but hearing the alarm go off he stops, confused. He then turns and walks away.

Sam and Isabeau leave the store and go down to the street, where he sees Andy drive by in the impala. The two stare in shock.

Dr. Jennings gets another cell phone call, "Hello? Yeah? All right."

"Dean! Andy's got the Impala!" Isabeau says through her phone.

"I know! He just sorta asked me for it and I, I let him take it." Dean says.

Isabeau looks up at Sam in shock at Dean's words, "You what?"

"He full-on Obi-Wanned me. It's mind control, Beau!" Dean tells her.

"Mind control." Isabeau whispers out and Sam and her watch in horror as Dr. Jennings walks in front of a bus, which slams into him at full speed.

* * *

As paramedics put Dr. Jennings' into a body bag, Sam and Isabeau sit on the curb nearby. Dean crouches behind them, hand on Sam's back.

Sam shakes his head, "I kept him out of the gun store. I thought he was okay. I thought he was past it, at least... I should have stayed with him."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean approach the impala from across the street. "Thank god!" Dean exclaims, "Oh. I'm sorry, baby. I'll never leave you again. Well, at least he left the keys in it."

Isabeau scoffs, "Yeah. Real Samaritan, this guy."

"Well, it looks like he can't work his mojo just by twitching his nose, he's gotta use verbal commands." Dean concludes.

Sam furrows his brow, "The doctor had just gotten off his cell phone when he stepped in front of that bus." He sighs, "Andy must have called him or something."

Dean looks down, "I don't know, maybe."

Sam raises a brow, "Beg your pardon?"

"I just don't know if he's our guy, Sam."

Sam scoffs, "Dean, you had O.J. convicted before he got out of his white Bronco and you have doubts about this?"

"He just doesn't seem like the stone-cold killer type, that's all. You know. And O.J. was guilty." Dean points at him.

"Either way…" Isabeau places a hand on each of their shoulders, "How are we going to track this guy down?"

Dean thinks for a moment, then smiles, "Not a problem."

* * *

Dean,Isabeau and Sam approach Andy's blue van from the back.

"Not exactly an inconspicuous ride. Let's have a look." Dean pulls a small crowbar out of his jacket and pries open the back door. Inside is a disco ball, fur rugs, a tiger painted on the wall, several thick books, and an enormous bong.

Dean chuckles, "Oh. Oh, come on. This is... this is magnificent, that's what this is. Not exactly a serial killer's lair, though. There's no... clown paintings on the walls, or scissors stuck in victims' photos. I like the tiger."

Sam looks at the books, "Hegel, Kant, Wittgenstein? That's some pretty heavy reading, guys."

Isabeau smiles, picking up the bong, "Yeah, and uh, and Moby Dick's bong." She looks up at her boyfriends with a thousand watt smile, "Nice."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam are sitting in the parked impala. Dean is eating something in a foil wrapper as Sam studies a stack of papers.

Dean crumples up the foil, "Ugh. You know, one day I'd love to just sit down and eat something I didn't have to microwave at a minimart."

"Same." Isabeau comments, crumbling her own foil that held her food, throwing it in the back along with Dean's.

"What I don't get is the motive." Sam says, not acknowledging their comments on food, "I mean, the doctor was squeaky clean, why would Andy waste him?"

"If it is Andy." Dean says.

Sam sets the papers down, "Dude, enough."

Dean looks over, "What?"

"The doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind control. You do the math." Sam says.

Isabeau fiddles with her rosary again as Dean shakes his head, " just don't think the guy's got it in him, that's all."

"Well, how the hell would you know?" Sam asks, "I mean, why are you bending over backwards defending him?"

"'Cause you're not right about this." Dean counters.

"About Andy?"

Andy appears suddenly at Sam's open window, slamming his hands down and leaning in, "Hey! You think I haven't seen you two? Why are you following me?" The last sentence reverberates strangely and Dean looks stunned.

"Well, we're lawyers. See, a relative of yours has passed aw-" Sam says calmly.

Andy's voice echoes again, "Tell the truth!"

Isabeau tilts her head at him, noticing the difference in his voice, "That's what-"

"We hunt demons." Dean interrupts her.

Sam and Isabeau turn to Dean with wide eyes.

"What?" Andy asks.

"Dean." Isabeau speaks softly, stunned at him.

Dean continues, "Demons and spirits. Things your worst nightmares wouldn't even touch. Sam here, he's my brother. Isabeau is mine and Sam's girlfriend."

"Dean, shut up!" Sam scolds him.

Dean glances at Sam, "I'm trying. He's psychic. Kind of like you. Well, not really like you, but see, he thinks you're a murderer, and he's afraid that he's going to become one himself, 'cause you're all part of something that's terrible. And, I hope to hell that he's wrong, but I'm starting to get a little scared that he might be right."

Isabeau face palms as Sam just stares in disbelief at his brother.

"Okay, you know what? Just leave me alone." Andy's voice echoes again.

Dean smiles, "Okay."

"All right?" Andy walks away.

Dean cringes, holding his head, as Sam and Isabeau get out of the car, following Andy. "What are you doing? Look, I, I said leave me alone." Andy begs as Sam and Isabeau shake their heads advancing toward him. "All right? Get out of here, just start driving and never stop."

Sam raises his arms, "Doesn't seem to work on us, Andy."

"What?" Andy asks, confused.

"You can make people do things, can't you? You can tell them what to think." Isabeau guesses.

Dean has gotten out of the impala and Sam holds up a hand, warning him not to come closer.

"Look, tha-" Andy laughs, "That's crazy."

"It all started about a year ago, didn't it?" Sam nods, "After you turned twenty-two. Little stuff at first, and then you got better at controlling it."

"How do you know all this?" Andy asks.

"Because the same thing happened to me, Andy. My mom died in a fire, too. I have abilities too. You see, we're connected, you and me." Sam tells him.

Andy starts to get frustrated, "You know what? Just, just, just, just get out of here," His voice echoes again, "All right?!" He starts to walk away, but Sam and Isabeau follow.

"Why did you tell the doctor to walk in front of a bus?" Isabeau asks.

Andy stops, "What?"

Flashes of fire fill Sam's vision, along with a hand holding a gas pump. He cringes as the vision continues in pieces as he tries to focus on Andy.

"Sam?" Isabeau looks up at him, worried.

"Why did you kill him?" Sam asks.

"I didn't!"

Sam cringes again as the vision hits with full force.

A middle-aged blond woman with leather gloves and a long black coat is pumping gas into an SUV. Her cell phone rings and she answers, "Hello?"

Flashes of fire, a man shying away from it. "Sure. I can do that." The woman says.

She hangs up the phone and leans into the car, pressing down the cigarette lighter. She pulls out the gas pump and starts drenching herself in gasoline. A gas station employee across the way sees her.

"Hey! Lady, what are you doing?!" The man yells out.

The woman pulls the cigarette lighter out and steps into the open, holding her arms out, "It's gonna be okay." She lowers the cigarette lighter to her drenched arm.

"Lady, no! No!" The man screams.

She bursts into flames as the man watches in horror and Sam's vision ends.

Sam, hands on his head, starts to fall. Isabeau reaches out, steadying him and Dean runs over to help and lower him gently to the asphalt. "Sam? What is it?" Dean asks, concerned.

Andy crouches down to their level, "Look, I didn't do anything to him."

Sam breathes heavily, leaning against Isabeau, "A woman. A woman burning alive."

Isabeau brushes some of his hair back gently, "What else'd you get?"

"A gas station, a woman is gonna kill herself."

Andy looks on, "What does he mean, 'going to'? What is he, what is-"

Dean holds his hand up to Andy, "Shut up!"

Sam looks over at Andy, "She gets triggered by a call on her cell."

"When?" Dean asks.

"I don't know." Sam says as Isabeau and Dean help him stand, "But as long as we keep our eyes on this son of a bitch he can't hurt her."

Andy shakes his head, "I didn't hurt anybody."

Sam sneers at him, "Yeah, not yet."

A fire engine roars past, sirens blaring and they all turn to watch it.

"Go." Sam says to Dean.

Dean runs off to follow the siren as Andy tries to step past Isabeau, who stops him with a hand on his chest. Her eyes glow violet, threatening him, "No, not you. You're staying here with us."

Andy stares at her in shock, "What are you?"

Isabeau's eyes stop glowing and she lowers her hand, not answering him.


	12. Simon Said Pt.2

The firemen are putting out the fire at the gas station as Dean calls Sam on his cell. "Hey, it's me. She's dead. Burned up, just like you said." Dean tells him.

Sam sighs, "When?"

"Like minutes before I got here! I mean the smell hasn't even cleared. What's up with your visions, man? This wasn't even a head start." Dean asks.

"I don't know, all right? I can't control them, I don't know what the hell is going on." Sam says as Isabeau places her hand under the back of his shirt, rubbing it in small circles.

"Listen, you were with Andy when this whole thing went down, so it, it can't be him, it's gotta be somebody else doing this." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "That doesn't make any sense."

"What else is new? Well, I'll dig around here, see what else I can find." Dean hangs up and so does Sam.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Andy sit across from each other, Andy on an abandoned truck and Sam is sitting on a bucket he flipped over as Isabeau stands behind him, hand on Sam's shoulder.

"So you get these premonitions of people about to die?" Andy asks and Sam nods. "That's impossible." Andy states.

Sam scoffs, "A lot of people would say the same thing about what you do."

Andy furrows his brow, "But... death visions."

Sam nods, "Yeah."

"Dude, that sucks." Andy says, "I mean, like, when I got my mind thing? It was like a gift, you know, it was, it was like I won the Lotto."

Isabeau crosses her arms, "But you still live in a van. I don't get it, I mean, you could ... have anything you ever wanted."

Andy shrugs, "I mean, I, I got everything I need."

Sam looks down briefly, "So you're really not a killer, huh?"

Andy laughs, "That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

Sam smiles, "That's good. Means there's hope for both of us."

Isabeau sighs, placing her hand back on Sam's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

Andy looks at Isabeau, "What about you? What's your psychic ability?"

Isabeau waves her free hand, "Sorry, not like you guys. I'm what's known as a hybrid. A witch and elemental."

Andy raises a brow at her, "Seriously? And you're not... evil?"

Isabeau chuckles, "No. There's some supernatural beings that are surprisingly not 'evil'. Grew up hunting just like these two."

Sam looks up at Isabeau with a smile, placing his hand on top of Isabeau's hand on his shoulder.

Dean pulls up in the impala, Sam and Andy stand and Isabeau removes her hand from Sam's shoulder. Dean gets out of the car, "Victim's name was Holly Beckett, forty-one, single."

Sam looks at Andy, "Who is she?"

Andy shakes his head, "Never heard of her."

"I called Ash on the way over here. He came up with a little something. Apparently Holly Beckett gave birth when she was eighteen years old, back in 1983. Same day you were born, Andy."

Isabeau tilts her head, "Andy, were you adopted?"

Ash turns to her, "Well, yeah."

"You were? And you neglected to mention that?" Dean asks.

Andy looks back and forth between all of them,"Never really came up. I mean, I, I never knew my birth parents, and, and like you said my adopted mom died when I was a baby- do you, do you think this Holly woman could actually be my m-"

Dean shakes his head, "I don't know. I tried to get a copy of the birth records, but they're hard copy only, sealed in the county office."

"Well, screw that."

* * *

As Sam, Isabeau and Dean go through boxes of files in the records office, Andy walks an elderly security guard to the door. "Probably shouldn't have left you kids in here." The guard says.

"No, it'll all be fine. All right? Just go get a cup of coffee." As the guard leaves, Andy continues in a dramatic voice, "These aren't the 'droids you're looking for."

Dean grins as he overhears, "Awesome."

Isabeau bites her lip, "I got it."

Dean leans on his box, "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She confirms and looks at Andy when he sits down next to her, "Andy, it's true. Holly Beckett was your birth mother."

Andy gasps, "Huh. Does anyone have a Vicodin?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "Dr. Jennings was her doctor, too, I mean, he oversaw the adoption. You have a solid connection to both of them."

"Yeah, but I, I didn't kill them." Andy says.

Dean looks over at Andy, "We believe you."

Sam glances over at his brother, "Yeah."

"But uh, who did?" Dean asks.

Isabeau sighs, "I think I got a pretty good guess. Holly Beckett gave birth to twins."

* * *

Andy sits with both hands on his head, staring straight ahead in shock. Dean is standing by a printer nearby, Sam is pacing with a folder in his hands and Isabeau is still sitting at the table, legs crossed.

"I have an evil twin." Andy says.

"Holly put you and your brother up for adoption. And you went to the Gallagher family, obviously, and your brother went to the Weems family from upstate." Sam explains and leans on one of the computers.

Dean looks over, "Andy, how you doin'? Still with us?"

Andy lets his hands down into his lap, "Um. What was my brother's name?"

"Here. Um," Sam looks down at the folder, "Ansen Weems. And he's got a local address."

"He - he lives _here_?"

"Let's get a look at him." Dean says, "Got his picture coming off from the DMV right now." Isabeau gets up from her spot and walks over to Sam.

Dean pulls some papers out of the printer and looks at them in surprise. Sam and Isabeau look down at them in surprise as well. "Hate to kick you while you're freaked." Dean says and Andy scoffs. "Take a look at that."

Dean shows one of the pages to Andy, who looks up in shock.

* * *

Dean drives the impala down a dark road with Sam and Isabeau next to him and Andy in the back seat.

Isabeau sighs, "All right, Andy. Tell us everything you know about this guy."

Andy leans forward, "Well, I mean, not much. I... Weber shows up one day, eight months ago? Acting like he's my best friend in the world. Kinda weird, like, trying too hard, you know?"

Sam starts cringing, rubbing his eyes and Isabeau glances at him.

"Must have known you guys were twins. Why did he change his name? Why not just tell you the truth?" Dean asks.

Andy purses his lips, "No idea."

Sam suddenly groans, holding his head in his hands, "Aah!"

"Sam?" Isabeau asks, worried.

Sam continues to groan, holding his head in pain. He yells in panic, struggling with the door.

"Sam? Sam! Sam!" Isabeau and Dean shout out.

Dean stops the car as Sam shoves the door open, leaning out. Dean gets out and runs around the car to kneel beside him, grabbing his shoulders. "Hey. Hey!"

Isabeau circles her arms around him, shushing him, "Breathe, Sam. Breathe." She runs her fingers through his hair, calming him down.

* * *

Near the bridge, the impala pulls to a stop. Sam, Isabeau and Dean get out and circle around to the trunk, which Dean opens.

"Dean, you should stay back." Sam suggests and Isabeau nods in agreement.

"No argument here. Had my head screwed with enough for one day." Dean agrees.

Isabeau pulls out her handgun, putting it in the back of her jeans. "Isabeau, I want you to stay with Dean." Sam requests.

She looks at him in surprise, "What? Sam? I can help, for some reason none of their mind control works on me."

Sam sighs, "I know I just don't want to take a chance."

Isabeau raises a brow at him, "A chance? Sam I'll be fine."

"Sweetheart…" Dean starts and Isabeau turns to him. Dean holds her hand, "Please, just this once."

Isabeau huffs and groans, "Fine, but you owe me."

Dean smiles, pulling her close, placing a kiss on her temple, "You got it, Beau."

Sam pulls out two handguns. As he walks forward, he's stopped by Andy, who has gotten out of the car, "I'm coming with you."

Sam looks, and shakes his head, "Andy, no."

Andy shakes his head as well, "If it's Tracy out there ... then I'm coming."

* * *

Crying, Tracy is unbuttoning her dress as Weber watches inside his car, "Okay. Slower. Tracy... I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay? When we're done here, I want you to head... over to the edge of the dam. Okay?"

Tracy nods, crying, "Okay."

"And when you get there, you're gonna think you can fly," Weber voice echos, "And you're just gonna step right off. You, you can fly, can't you?" Weber asks, caressing her cheek.

Tracy sobs, "Yeah. I think so."

"You might get scared, but I want you to say that it's okay." Weber says as Tracy continues to sob. "Just tell yourself, everything is okay."

The window behind Weber's head shatters, and Sam shoves a handgun in his face, "Get out of the car! Now!"

Weber looks up at him, "You really don't want to do this." His voice echoes.

Sam punches him, hard. On the other side of the car, Andy opens the door and pulls Tracy out, "Tracy! Come here, come here, come here. It's okay."

"Andy! I can't! I couldn't control myself." Tracy cries.

Sam opens Weber's door and pulls him out of the car. He pins him face down over the pavement with the gun aimed at his head, "Don't move. Don't move!"

Andy runs over to them and shoves a strip of duct tape over Weber's mouth. He rears back and kicks Weber twice, furious.

Sam pushes him back, "No! No, Andy, let me handle this, all right?"

"I'm gonna kill you!" Andy shouts.

"No! I'll handle this, I'll handle this!"

"I will kill you!"

Sam continues to hold Andy back, "Andy! Listen to me! Listen to me!"

Weber stares at Tracy, who picks up a large stick and hits Sam on the back of the neck with it. He goes down, unconscious.

Andy turns to her as Weber stands up, "Tracy, stop!" Andy's voice echoes, "I said STOP IT!"

She drops the stick and backs away, terrified. Andy turns back to Weber, who pulls the duct tape off his mouth.

"How did you do that?" Andy asks.

Weber raises his hands, "Practice, bro. If you'd just practice, you would know. Sometimes you don't need to use your words. If you have to," He taps his forehead, "All you need is this. Sometimes the headache's worth it."

Andy grabs Weber, "You're a twisted son of a bitch!"

"Back off, Andy. Or Tracy's gonna do a little flying." Weber warns.

Andy turns in horror to see Tracy standing on the ledge. "Aren't you, Trace?" Weber asks her and then addresses Andy, "I'm stronger than you. I can do it."

"Okay, okay." Andy backs away, hands up, "Okay. All right, just... just please don't hurt her."

"Don't be mad at me, okay? I know, it's, it's all wrong. I didn't mean for this to happen, it's just... Tracy? She's trying to come between us." Weber explains.

Andy shakes his head, "You're insane."

"She's garbage!" Weber exclaims, "Man, they all are! We can, we can push them, we can make them do whatever we want!"

"Are you really... are you really this stupid? Is it-?" Andy stammers.

"Wha-"

Andy continues, "I mean, you, you learn you've got a twin…" Unknown to them, Sam starts coming to.

"...You call him up, you go out for a drink, you don't start killing people!" Andy exclaims.

Weber shakes his head, "I've wanted to tell you for so long, bro. But he didn't let me. He said I had to wait until the time was…"

"Who?"

"The man with the yellow eyes." Weber says like Andy already knows.

"What are you talking about?" Andy asks.

"He came to me. In my dream." Weber says taking a step forward, "He said I was special. He told me he's got big plans for me. Wait 'till you see what's in store, Andy, for both of us!" Weber takes a hold of Andy's jacket, "See, he's the one who told me that... I had a brother. A twin."

In the woods, within shooting distance, Dean and Isabeau stalk to a hiding place, Dean with a sniper rifle.

Andy pulls away, "Why did you kill our mother? Why? And why Dr. Jennings?"

"Because they split us up!" Weber shouts, "They ruined our lives, Andy! We could have been together this whole time. Instead of alone. I couldn't, I couldn't let 'em do that, I couldn't let them get away with that. No."

Dean crouches in the shadows and lines up the shot. Isabeau crouches down next to him.

Weber turns, hearing something. He peers into the distance, into Dean and Isabeau's hiding place, "I see you. Bye-bye." His voice echoes.

Isabeau jumps up, struggling to hold back the rifle as Dean is being mind controlled by Weber to tuck the barrel under his chin. Dean stares up at Isabeau as she fights to keep Dean from shooting himself. "Beau…"

Isabeau grits her teeth, eyes glowing violet, "No speeches, none of that bullshit. You're not dying."

A gunshot rings out. Weber jerks and falls to the ground, dead. Andy lowers the gun that he shot him with, shaking.

Isabeau sighs as Dean throws the rifle to the side. Dean grabs her hand, forcing her into his arms and places his lips on hers.

Isabeau's hand reaches up and threads her fingers through his short hair as their lips part, "Next time, I have the sniper rifle."

Dean chuckles, "Deal." He stares into her still glowing violet eyes and smiles.

* * *

The next morning, rescue and police crews arrived on the scene. Andy is talking to three police officers, his stance confident. Sam is crouching by a wall, a paramedic tending to his shoulder with Dean and Isabeau standing at his side.

"He shot himself. And you all saw it happen." Andy tells the policemen his voice echoing.

The policemen nod, "Yeah. We did."

The three of them observe, "Look at him. He's getting better at it." Sam says. The paramedic that was tending to Sam walks away.

Andy passes an ambulance where Tracy is sitting, a blanket around her shoulders and she avoids his eyes.

Andy approaches Sam, Isabeau and Dean and Sam standing from his seated position. "She won't even look at me." Andy says.

"Yeah, she's pretty shaken up." Sam tells him.

Andy shakes his head, "No, it's, this is different. It's, uh, I never, I never used my mind thing on her before. Before last night. She's scared of me now."

Sam fidgets, "Hey, Andy, I hate to do this, but um, we have to get out of here. Here. I wrote down my cell. You don't have to be alone in this, all right? If anything comes up, just call me up."

The three start to walk away, "Wha- what am I supposed to do now?" Andy asks them.

They stop and turn, "You be good, Andy... Or we'll be back." Dean says.

This time, they walk away without looking back. "Looks like I was right." Sam says.

"About what?" Isabeau asks.

"Andy. He's a killer after all."

Dean shakes his head, "No, he's a hero. He saved his girlfriend's life, he saved my life."

"Bottom line, last night, he wasted somebody." Sam objects.

Dean sighs, "Yeah, but he's not a foaming-at-the-mouth psycho. He was just, he was pushed into that."

Sam shakes his head, "Weber was pushed too, in his own way. Max Miller was pushed. Hell, I was pushed by Jessica's death. And if Isabeau's life is on the line, I'm pushed."

"What's your point, Sam?" Dean stops.

Isabeau speaks before Sam could, "Right circumstances, everyone's capable of murder. Everyone."

Sam looks down at her, "Isabeau?"

Isabeau shakes her head, brushing it off, "It's nothing, but that's what you were gonna say weren't you, Sam?"

Sam nods, "Yeah... You know, maybe that's what the demon's doing. Pushing us. Finding ways to break us."

"Sam, we don't know what the demon wants, okay?" Dean pats Sam on the arm, "Quit worrying about it." Dean starts walking away.

Sam watches him, "You know, I heard you before, Dean, when Andy made you tell the truth. You're just as scared of this as I am."

Dean stops at the impala, Sam and Isabeau do the same. Dean points over to the scene, "That was mind control! I mean, it's like, like, that's like being roofied, man, that doesn't count." Dean points at him.

"What?" Sam asks.

Dean waves his hand, "No. I'm, I'm calling do-over."

"What are you, seven?" Sam asks and Isabeau snorts at his jab.

"Doesn't matter. Look, we've just gotta keep doing what we're doing, find that evil son of a bitch and kill it." Dean says.

"Yeah, I guess." Sam says doubtfully.

Isabeau's cell rings and she picks it up, "Hello?" Sam opens the door for Isabeau, letting her slide in, "Ellen. What's going on?" Sam gets in with her and so does Dean on the other side, "Yeah, we'll be right there."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are sitting at the bar, Ellen behind it and Jo walking around the outside. "Jo?" Ellen calls to her.

Jo stops, turning to her mother, "Hmm?"

"Go pull up another case of beer." Ellen tells her.

"Mom…"

"Now. Please." Ellen requests.

As Jo leaves, Ellen leans on the bar in front of Sam, Isabeau and Dean, "So. You uh, you want to tell me about this last hunt of yours?" She asks.

"No. Not really." Dean says, almost taking a sip of his beer, "No offense, it's just kind of a family thing."

"Not anymore." Ellen drops a stack of papers on the bar, "I got this stuff from Ash. Andrew Gallagher's house burnt down on his six month birthday, just like your house. You think it was the demon both times, don't you? You think it went after Gallagher's family?"

"Yeah, we think so." Sam admits.

"Sam…" Dean warns.

"Why?" Ellen asks.

"None of your business." Dean looks up at her. Isabeau winces, not the smartest move her boyfriend could've pulled.

Ellen pauses before turning to Dean, "You mind your tongue with me, boy. This isn't just your war, this is war. Now, something big and bad's coming and it's coming fast, and their side holds all the cards. Now, at best all we got is us. Together. No secrets or half-truths here."

Sam sighs, "There are people out there, like Andy Gallagher... Like me... And um... we all have some kind of ability."

Ellen shakes her head, "Ability?"

Sam nods, "Yeah. Psychic ability." Dean rolls his eyes, uncomfortable.

"Me, I have, um... I have visions. Premonitions. I don't know, it's, it's different for everybody. The demon said he had plans for people like us." Sam explains.

"What kind of plans?" Ellen asks.

Sam shrugs, "We don't really know for sure."

"These people out there, these psychics. They dangerous?" Ellen asks.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No. Not all of them."

"But some are. Some are very dangerous." Sam adds.

"Okay, how many of them are we looking at?" Ellen asks.

"We've been able to track a clear pattern so far. They've all had house fires on the night of the kid's six month birthday." Dean explains.

Isabeau shakes her head, "That's not true."

Dean looks at her, "What?"

Isabeau plays with her rosary, "Weber? Or Ansen Weems, or whatever his name is. I looked at his files, and there was no house fire. There's nothing out of the ordinary."

"Which breaks pattern." Ellen points out, "So if there's any others like him, there'd be nothing in the system. No way to track 'em all down."

"And so who knows how many of 'em are really out there?" Dean says.

Jo is standing behind Ellen. "Jo, honey?" Ellen asks.

"Yeah?" Jo asks.

"You'd better break out the whiskey instead." Ellen says and Jo goes to do just that.

* * *

Isabeau takes a sip of her whiskey at a lone table in the roadhouse. She cringes as the liquid slides down and burns her throat. She looks at the glass, licking her lips. Alcohol was probably the only way she could ever feel a burning sensation.

Being made of fire gave her the ability to touch things that are hot. Even stepping into a bonfire would have no effect on her. The flames would lick her skin, but nothing would happen.

Same thing went for electricity. Ever since she gained that ability, she hasn't been able to feel electric shocks. She tested that out with a taser that Bobby had buried in his arsenal.

Isabeau sets the glass down and shrugs off her leather jacket, draping it on the back of her chair and sighs.

She feels two hands slide down her arms from behind her, "Hey." Dean greets.

Isabeau chuckles, "Hey." She looks up at him and he leans down, placing a light kiss on her lips.

He moves over and sits down next to her, hooking his leg around her chair to pull her closer, "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" He asks.

Isabeau shrugs, picking up her whisky, "Nothing." She downs it in one go and shivers at the burning sensation, placing the glass back down.

Dean raises his brow, "Sure looks like 'nothing', Isabeau. Come on, what's going on?"

She shifts in her seat, "You know how I was saying that everyone becomes a murder?"

Dean sighs, leaning forward, "Isabeau, this whole demon thing, you can't-"

"No it has nothing to do with the demon." She shakes her head. Isabeau bites her lip, "I've done some things, Dean. Not so good things."

Dean shakes his head, "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not bad."

Isabeau chuckles, "Why do you have so much faith in me?"

"Because you are a good person, better than any of us." Dean says.

Isabeau rubs her face, "Dean… I've killed. A lot. I've massacred nests, packs, demons, you name it, all for one reason."

"But, Beau, that's what we do as hunters. You can't blame yourself for that. Other hunters have done the same."

"Yeah, but not like I have…" Isabeau takes a breath, "There was a time, where I got… addicted and I couldn't control myself. They threatened to hurt my family, my coven, hell, even you and Sam. It got to a point where my father and Bobby had to step in and stop me."

"Isabeau…" Dean grabs Isabeau's hand, squeezing it tight, "Stop."

Isabeau stares at him, "What?"

"You're not the only one, Beau. If anything happened to you or Sammy, or even threatened to hurt you both, I'd be the same." Dean admits. "So, please. Don't be this tough on yourself."

Isabeau looks away. Deep down, she knew how bad she could be, but at the same time, giving into her addiction fed a dark side of her that was waiting to be released. Though she hadn't given into her addiction for years, and she was going to keep it that way.

She shakes her head, "I don't want to harp on it, I've done that for too long. I just… want to focus on you and Sam right now and our relationship." She smiles at him and he returns it.

"With hunting a demon on top of it." Sam comments, taking a seat next Isabeau, kissing her lips.

Isabeau chuckles, "Oh, yeah, that too. But, uh…" Her free hand slips underneath the front of his shirt, "I can think of something I want to be on top of." She smirks.

Dean chuckles, "Isabeau is on the prowl and it looks like she's in your line of sight, Sammy."

Sam clears his throat, his eyes turning red slightly at Isabeau's nails discreetly dragging along his torso, "Maybe, we should do that somewhere else, Beau? I can't really do much with a broken hand."

Isabeau tilts her head, "Who said you were doing anything, Stretch?" She looks over at Dean, cupping his face, "And you're right after him, Dearie. I'm in control tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done! Thank goodness! And apparently the powers of those who are chosen don't work on Isabeau. Hmm... interesting. Feedback gives me motivation!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	13. No Exit Pt.1

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are standing in front of the impala's trunk, parked in front of the roadhouse.

"Los Angeles, California." Dean states, closing the trunk.

"What's in L.A.?" Isabeau asks, the three walking toward the front doors.

"Young girl's been kidnapped by an evil cult." Dean says.

"Yeah? Girl got a name?" Sam asks.

"Katie Holmes." Dean says.

Isabeau playfully glares at him and Sam laughs, "That's funny. And for you, so bitchy."

From inside the roadhouse comes the sound of breaking glass and shouting voices. Dean turns, "Of course, on the other hand - catfight."

In the roadhouse and on the upper levels, Ellen and Jo are shouting.

"I am your mother, I don't have to be reasonable!" Ellen shouts.

"You can't keep me here!" Jo shouts.

"Oh, don't you bet on that, sweetie."

Sam, Isabeau and Dean enter cautiously.

"What are you going to do, are you going to chain me up in the basement?" Jo asks.

Ellen pushes away some chairs that were still up on the tables, "You know what, you've had worse ideas than that recently. Hey, you don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to school."

"I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection!" Jo shouts.

"Yeah, and getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?!" Ellen asks, she turns and sees the three of them, "Guys, bad time."

Sam raises his hand in defense, "Yes, ma'am." Isabeau nods, shoving her hands in her pockets, feeling bad for intruding.

Dean nods, "Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyway." The three start to leave, but Jo stops them.

"Wait. I wanna know what they think about this." Jo walks up to them.

A mom, a dad, and two kids under three, all wearing bright yellow t-shirts that read 'Nebraska is for Lovers' enter.

"I don't care what they think!" Ellen counters.

"Are you guys open?" The father of the family asks.

"No!"

"Yes!" Jo and Ellen yell at them.

The father chuckles nervously, "We'll just... check out the Arby's down the road." They leave.

The phone rings and Jo turns to glare at it, then at Ellen, who stalks over to answer it, "Harvelle's. Yeah, Preacher."

Jo grabs a folder off the bar and holds it out to the three, "Three weeks ago a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment." She shoves the folder at Dean, "Take it, it won't bite."

Dean's gaze glances over at Ellen, "No, but your mom might."

Jo pinches her lips, still holding out the folder. He takes it reluctantly, flipping it open and Isabeau leans over looking at it.

"And this girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years six women have vanished." Jo starts explaining the details of the hunt, "All from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two so cops never eyeball the pattern. So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer, or-"

Isabeau smiles, looking up, "Did you put this together, Jo?"

Jo smiles proudly at her, "You know it, BoBo." Isabeau playfully rolls her eyes at the nickname Jo gave her. That happened over one of their late night girl talks over the phone.

Dean hums, impressed, "Hmm."

Sam looks down at the files as well, "I gotta admit. We hit the road for a lot less."

Ellen hangs up the phone and walks over to them, "Good. You like the case so much, you take it."

"Mom!" Jo exclaims.

"Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. And I won't lose you too. I just won't." Ellen scolds, not wanting to argue about it.

* * *

The impala roars into town and they park in front of the apartment building. They head inside the building, Isabeau places her hand on the doorknob of the apartment, her eyes glow violet as she speaks a few words in latin and the door clicks open.

They enter the apartment, Dean closing the door behind them. Isabeau's eyes stop glowing, "I feel kind of bad, snaking Jo's case."

Dean purses his lips, coming up behind her rubbing her back and enters deeper into the apartment, "Yeah, maybe she put together a good file. But could you see her out here working one of these things? I don't think so."

Isabeau furrows her brow as both Sam and Dean pull out their EMF readers. She thought Jo could handle herself quite honestly. With some practice she would be a great hunter on her own.

"You getting anything?" Dean asks.

"No, not yet." As Sam runs his reader over the light switch, it purrs. He leans over, "What's that?"

Isabeau walks over, touching the black goo from the lightswitch. She rubs it in between her fingers, it was disturbingly sticky. "Gross." She simply comments, frowning at it.

Dean comes over, "What?"

Sam touches the goo, "Holy crap."

Dean also touches it, "That's ectoplasm. Well, I think I know what we're dealing with here. It's the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man."

Isabeau chuckles, suddenly very tempted to hum the Ghostbusters theme song.

Sam rolls his eyes, "Dean, I've only seen this stuff, like, twice. I mean, to make this stuff you have to be one majorly pissed off spirit."

Isabeau wipes her fingers on her jeans, not really caring if the ectoplasm stained them or not, "All right, let's find this badass before he snags any more girls."

They exit the apartment and walk down the hallway. Hearing voices, they hide around a corner. Isabeau frowns as she realizes the woman's voice belongs to Jo.

"It's so convenient." Jo says.

"Yeah, it's a great building, fixed it up real nice. All the apartments come furnished, too." The landlord says.

"It is so spacious. You know, my friend told me I absolutely have to come check it out, and I have to admit, she was right. You did a really good job with this place."

Isabeau steps out, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Jo smiles and winks at her, "There you are, honey." She grabs Isabeau around the waist, "This is my girlfriend, Isabeau and her buddies, Sam and Dean." Jo gave Isabeau a look, telling her to play along.

Isabeau smiles, understanding Jo's plan. She glances over at her boyfriends who just watch on in curiosity.

The landlord nods, a little surprised at the implication of the two women dating, but brushes it aside, shaking hands with Isabeau, "Good to meetcha. Quite a gal you've got here."

Isabeau nods, chuckling, "Oh yeah, she's a pistol."

Jo looks up at Isabeau who is just an inch or two taller than her, "So, did you already check out that apartment? The one for rent."

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. Yes. Loved it. Great flow."

The landlord furrows his brow, "How'd you get in?"

"It was open." Isabeau states as if he already knew.

"Now, Ed, um, when did the last tenant move out?" Jo asks.

The landlord shakes his head, "Oh, about a month ago. Cut and run, too. Stick me for the rent."

Jo smiles, "Well. Her loss, our gain! 'Cause if BoBo loves it, it's good enough for me."

Isabeau smiles sweetly, "Oh, sweetie."

Jo pulls out a wad of cash, "We'll take it."

Isabeau,Sam and Dean stare at the wad of cash in awe. Isabeau thinks for a second and then smirks at Jo, very impressed.

* * *

Inside the apartment, Dean puts together his gun and Jo turns to him, "I'll flip you for the sofa."

Dean looks at her, "Does your mother even know you're here?" Behind him, Sam and Isabeau are cleaning their own weapons.

"Told her I was going to Vegas." Jo says.

Isabeau glances up, "You think she's gonna buy that?"

Jo shakes her head, "I'm not an idiot. I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos." Isabeau raises her hand in defense with a smile.

Dean shakes his head, "You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom. Shouldn't be here either."

Jo glances at Sam and Isabeau and looks back at Dean, "Well, I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it."

Sam set down his gun, "Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?"

Jo looks at him, "Working, at the Roadhouse."

Dean frowns, "Hunters don't tip that well."

Jo smiles, "Well, they aren't that good at poker, either."

Isabeau smiles, "Nice." Her and Jo high five and chuckle, "Man, me and you, we'd clean some shop." Isabeau suggests.

Jo nods with a smile, "I'll have to take you up on that."

Sam shakes his head with a smile, pulling Isabeau into his lap with his unbroken hand. Isabeau chuckles at his actions, and the two continue to clean their guns. Jo watches the two with a bitter fondness and then looks over to Dean, who is staring at the two with a soft smile.

Jo shakes her head, slightly jealous at their relationship. It was wholesome and adorable, even when hunting they seemed to find time to make each other smile and enjoy the beauty of their relationship.

Dean's cell phone rings and he answers it, "Yeah."

"Is she with you?" Ellen asks on the other line.

Dean stares at Jo, "Oh, hi Ellen."

"She left a note she's in Vegas. I don't believe it for a second."

Dean holds the phone back, "I'm telling her." He whispers to Jo and two have a furious, muttered argument. Isabeau and Sam watch from their spots.

"Dean?" Ellen asks.

Dean brings his phone back, "I haven't seen her."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Dean answers.

"Well, please. If she shows up, you'll drag her butt right back here, won't you?" Ellen asks.

"Absolutely." Dean confirms.

"Okay. Thanks, honey."

Dean hangs up the phone and Jo grins cheerfully. Isabeau shakes her head amused, Jo certainly was a pistol.

* * *

Dean is pacing, Isabeau, Sam and Jo are sitting at the table with blueprints spread out. Jo's flipping a small knife around, "This place was built in 1924. It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago."

"Yeah? What was here before 1924." Dean asks.

Jo purses her lips, "Nothing. Empty field."

"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell." Sam concludes and Isabeau nods in agreement, flipping through some papers.

"I already checked. In the past eighty two years, zero violent deaths. Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor." Jo says and Isabeau scoffs.

Jo points her knife at Dean without looking at him, "Would you sit down, please?"

Dean sits down next to Isabeau at Jo's request, "So, have you checked police reports, county death records…"

"Obituaries, mortuary reports and seven other sources. I know what I'm doing." Jo nods.

"I think the jury's still out on that one." Isabeau gives Dean a look at his statement and he just shrugs, looking back at Jo, "Could you put the knife down?"

She stares at him before she does.

Isabeau clears her throat, relieving some of the tension in the room, "Okay! So, uh, it's something else, then. Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought a spirit with it."

Jo smiles at her, "Well, we've got to scan the whole building. Everywhere we can get to, right?"

Dean nods, "Right. So. You, me and Isabeau, we'll take the top two floors." Dean gets up from his spot.

"Dean…" Isabeau stops Dean in his tracks, "We'd move faster if we split up."

Dean sighs, "Sweetheart-"

"Ah-ah! Don't 'Sweetheart' me, that's not always gonna work, Dearie. You take the top floor, Jo and I got the floor below. Got it?" Jo raises a brow to challenge him.

* * *

Jo and Isabeau are walking down a dim hallway, Jo with an EMF reader in her hands, "So. You gonna buy me dinner?" Jo jokes.

Isabeau chuckles, confused, "What are you talking about?"

"It's just if you're gonna ride me this close it's only decent you buy me dinner." Jo says.

Isabeau shakes her head, gliding her fingertips along the walls, "Oh, that's hilarious. You know, it's bad enough Dean to your mom, besides, better off being with me than with Dean. He's a little overprotective when it comes to anyone, even me." She pauses, "Plus, I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of the spirit's type."

Jo nods, "Exactly."

Isabeau hums, "You wanna be bait?" She was curious.

"Quickest way to draw it out and you know it." Jo says with a smile.

Isabeau nods, "True, true… Though I think Dean will put a stop to that plan."

Jo tilts her head at Isabeau, "Why's that? Does he think women can't do the job?"

Isabeau chuckles, "Hell, no. Being with Dean since we were kids showed him that a woman could probably kick his ass and get the job done. It's just... you have no experience, Jo. And, hey, you need to go on a few hunts by yourself to learn. Can't be on the sidelines forever."

"Speaking from experience?" Jo asks.

Isabeau shrugs, turning to her, releasing she never really told Jo who she got into hunting, "Look, Jo. I was raised to hunt. Ironic because I am what hunters hunt, but we did it to survive. You got options, Jo. No one in their right mind chooses this life."

Jo stares at her confused, "But, you got out, went to college and almost had a career. Why go back?"

Isabeau sighs, "I never 'got out'. Even in college I hunted. But then Sam and Dean came back into my life and well… here we are and I wouldn't change a damn thing. Once a hunter, always a hunter."

Jo tilts her head, "You love the job."

Isabeau bites her lip, "Yeah, but I'm a little twisted." Jo didn't know how bad Isabeau could get.

Jo chuckles, "You don't think I'm a little twisted too?"

Isabeau smiles weakly, "Jo, you've got a mother that worries about you. Who wants something more for you. Those are good things. You don't throw things like that away. Might be hard to find later."

Jo licks her lips, "Do your parents want that for you?"

Isabeau pauses, furrowing her brow, "I don't know honestly. My parents always told me to do what I want. Though they did require me to get some sort of education." She chuckles, "They never really told me I _had_ to hunt, it was mostly a safety measure. Learn how to protect myself."

Isabeau shrugs, "They're doing the same to my brothers, I mean, Alphonse is 14 now and he just went out on his first hunt with dad a few months back because he wanted to. Eugene and Dion practice their shooting in the backyard and are itching to go out on a hunt themselves."

"But, they're still young and they have their own interests outside hunting…" Isabeau smiles, "It's just normal for us, Jo. Deep down, we know we can't just walk away from the lifestyle, it'll follow us, no matter how far we run away from it."

Isabeau turns, walking away from Jo, who follows her after a couple of seconds. They approach a grating near the floor. As Jo stands in front of it, a dark hand slides through the holes towards her legs. She turns around, gasping.

Isabeau turns, "What?"

Jo sighs, "I'm not sure."

Isabeau walks over and sniffs at the air, "You smell that?"

Jo sniffs as well, "What is that, a gas leak?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "No. Something else. I know it. I just can't put my finger on it."

Jo crouches by the grating and her EMF reader purrs.

Jo looks up at the white haired hunter. Isabeau smiles, "Mazel Tov. You just found your first spirit."

"It's inside the vent." Jo says.

Isabeau crouches beside her, shining her flashlight and she hands it to Jo, "Here."

She pulls out a screwdriver and unscrews the grating, pulling it off the wall, "There's something in there. Here."

She reaches her arm inside, feeling around. She pulls her hand out, holding a clump of blond hair, "Somebody's keeping souvenirs."

* * *

Dean is twisted up in a very awkward sleep-position on a leather recliner chair. Sirens sound nearby and he wakes, groaning.

Jo is sitting at the table, twirling her knife and studying notes and blueprints. Isabeau is sitting across from her, twirling her rosary around. She looks over with a smile, "Morning, Dearie."

Dean looks over at his girlfriend, "Where's Sam?" He groans.

"Went to get coffee." Isabeau says, turning back to the papers.

Dean gets up slowly, grimacing, "Ugh. My back." He hums, leaning down to place a kiss on Isabeau's lips.

Isabeau smiles when they part, "I'll do some aromatherapy when we're done here. Get a nice motel room." Isabeau suggests.

"I like the sound of that… How'd you sleep on that big soft bed?" He asks the two of them. Sam and Dean opted for sleeping out on the sofas so the girls could have the only bed in the apartment.

"We didn't. Just been going over everything." Jo tells him.

He looks down at her, considering. He places a bag onto the table and pulls out a bowie knife, unsnapping it from the sheath and handing it to her, hilt-first, "Here."

Jo takes it, "What's this for?"

"It'll work a hell of a lot better than that little pig-sticker you're twirling around." Dean says.

Jo hands him her knife, he studies it, and sees engraved on the blade: W.A.H.

"William Anthony Harvelle." Jo says. Isabeau smiles comfortingly at Jo.

Dean looks up at Jo, understanding, "I'm sorry. My mistake." He hands back her knife and takes his knife back, sheathing it.

Jo hesitates, "What do you.. what do you remember about your dad? I mean, what's the first thing that pops into your head?"

Dean shakes his head and Isabeau does what she always does, rub small circles on the small of his back, underneath his shirts.

"Come on, tell me." Jo begs.

Dean takes a seat next to Isabeau, who was still rubbing his back, "I was six or seven, and uh, he took me shooting for the first time. You know, bottles on a fence, that kind of thing. I bulls-eyed every one of 'em. He gave me this smile, like... I don't know."

Jo smiles, "He must have been proud."

Dean glances at Isabeau and chuckles, "What about your dad?" He asks Jo.

Jo sighs, "I was still in pigtails when my dad died, but I remember him coming home from a hunt. He'd burst through that door like, like Steve McQueen or something."

She shakes her head, "And he'd sweep me up in his arms, and I'd breathe in that old leather jacket of his. And my mom, who was sour and pissed from the minute he left, she started smiling again. And we were... we were a family."

Jo looks back and forth between Isabeau and Dean, addressing them both, "You wanna know why I want to do the job? For him. It's my way of being close to him. Now tell me what's wrong with that."

Isabeau moves her hand to rest on one of Dean's. He flips his hand to intertwine their fingers, "Nothing."

Sam bursts through the door.

Dean looks over, "Where's the coffee?"

Sam sighs, "There are cops outside. Another girl disappeared."

* * *

Sam and Jo are studying the notes, a little more urgently than before. Dean and Isabeau return, shutting the door. "Teresa Ellis, Apartment 2F. Boyfriend reported her missing around dawn." Dean tells them.

"And her apartment?" Jo asks as Dean and Isabeau circle around the table, facing them.

"Cracks all over the plaster, walls, ceiling. There was ectoplasm, too." Isabeau says, lifting up her fingers to show that they were slightly stained black by touching it.

"Well, between that and that tuft of hair I'd say this sucker's coming from the walls." Sam says.

Dean looks at him, "But who is it? Building's history is totally clean."

Jo picks up a photograph, "Well, maybe we're looking in the wrong place."

"What do you mean?" Isabeau asks.

"Check this out." Jo says, handing the photo over to Sam.

Sam looks at the photo, "An empty field?"

"It's where this building was built. Take a look at the one next door. The windows." Jo points out.

"Bars." Sam states.

Isabeau scoffs, "We're next door to a prison?"

* * *

"Thanks, Ash. And if you breathe a word of this to my mom... That's right. I will. With pliers." Jo hangs up her phone after talking with Ash, "Okay. Moyamensing prison. Built in 1835, torn down in 1963. And get this. They used to execute people by hanging them in the empty field next door."

Isabeau smiles and nods, "Well, then, we need a list. All the people executed there."

Jo smiles at her, "Ash is already on it."


	14. No Exit Pt.2

Sam is scrolling down a very long list of names on his laptop. Isabeau sits next to him on one side with Jo leaning over her shoulder and Dean leans over on the other side of Sam. "A hundred fifty seven names?" Sam asks.

Isabeau shakes her head, "We've gotta narrow that down."

"Yeah." Sam agrees.

"Or else we're gonna be digging up a hell of a lot of stiffs." Dean adds in.

Sam scrolls down to the name 'Herman Webster Mudgett' and clicks on it, frowning, "Herman Webster Mudgett?"

Jo nods, "Yeah?"

Sam looks up at Dean, "Wasn't that H. H. Holmes' real name?"

"You've gotta be kiddin' me." Dean says in disbelief.

* * *

Dean clicks on the computer, "Yep. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing, May 7, 1896."

Sam smiles, "H. H. Holmes himself. Come on, I mean, what are the odds?" Isabeau shakes her head at Sam, knowing about his fascination with serial killers. It was a strange thing to be into, but she found it adorable every time his face would light up when he talked about them.

"Who is this guy?" Jo asks.

"The term 'multi-murderer.' They coined it to describe Holmes. He was America's first serial killer, before anybody knew what a serial killer was." Dean explains.

Sam nods, "Yeah, he confessed to twenty seven murders, but some put the death toll at over a hundred."

"And his victim flavor of choice? Pretty petite blondes. He, uh, he used chloroform to kill 'em." Isabeau pauses, "Which is what I smelled in the hallway last night. At his place, cops found human remains, bone fragments, and long locks of bloody blonde hair."

She turns to Jo, "Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em."

Jo shakes her head, "Well, we just find the bones, salt 'em and burn 'em, right?"

"Well, it's not that easy. His body is buried in town, but it's encased in a couple tons of concrete." Sam says.

"What? Why?"

"The story goes that he didn't want anybody mutilating his corpse. 'Cause, you know, that's what he used to do." Dean says.

Isabeau crosses her arms, "You know somethin'. We might have an even bigger problem than that."

"How does this get bigger?" Jo asks.

Isabeau nudges Sam to explain. Sam points to a couple of photos, "Holmes built an apartment building in Chicago. He called it the Murder Castle. The whole place was a death factory, they had, uh, trap doors, acid vats, quick line pits... he built these secret chambers inside the walls. He'd lock his victims in, keep them alive for days. Some he'd suffocate, others he'd let starve to death."

Jo nods, "So Teresa could still be alive. She could be inside these walls."

Isabeau unfolds her arms, "We need sledgehammers, crowbars. We've got to smash these walls, anywhere thick enough to hide a girl."

* * *

Isabeau and Jo are squeezing through crawl-spaces inside the building walls. Jo is on the phone, "Okay. Call us after you check the southeast wall."

She hangs up, "Sam and Dean are almost done with the first floor. Hasn't found jack squat either. They're gonna head up here when they're done."

Isabeau stops, and so does Jo, "What is it?"

Isabeau hums, calculating for a few seconds, "Nothing, thought it was too narrow, but I think we can get through. Come on."

The two continue forward, Isabeau first with Jo taking up the back. Isabeau's phone rings and she picks it up, "Where are you?" Dean's voice comes through the line. Isabeau only guessed that him and Sam finished up and are wondering where they are.

"On the north wall." Isabeau answers, finding an air duct and starts climbing down it, Jo follows.

"We're heading down some kind of air duct." Isabeau tells him.

"No, no, no, no, stay up here." Sam says through the phone. His words confirmed her suspicions that they were on the same floor as them, waiting.

Isabeau shares a look with Jo, who could hear the conversation, "Look, we've gotta find this girl, don't we? We're okay."

Dean studies the blueprints in his hand with Sam, "All right. We're heading to you."

Isabeau and Jo come out into a similar space on a lower level and press on. Goo starts pouring out from the wall cracks. "Oh god." Jo exclaims. Isabeau's eyes widen, "Shit."

Dean and Sam stop in the hallway at Isabeau's word, "What is it? Beau? Beau!" Dean asks.

They hear Jo and Isabeau screams echo through the phone and in the hallway. Dean and Sam share a look before running down to the lower level, trying to hear where they are.

"Isabeau!" Sam and Dean call out.

Sam steps back as Dean takes the sledgehammer he's carrying and smashes a large hole in the wall. The brothers poke their heads in and find where Jo and Isabeau were, Isabeau's cell phone is lying on the floor.

Both of them are gone.

* * *

Dean and Sam rushes back up the hallway, "We shouldn't have left them alone. Dammit!" Dean yells.

Sam takes a breath, trying to calm himself and Dean, "Hey, hey, look, we'll find them, all right?"

"Where?" Dean jabs.

"Inside the walls."

"We've been inside the walls all night. None of the other girls were there, they won't be either." Dean shouts.

"Guys!"

Sam and Dean turn and each of them sigh in relief, "Isabeau."

Isabeau jogs up to them, "Hey. I got out of there before that creep could grab me."

Dean pulls her in for a quick hug and Sam does the same, "How'd you get away?" Sam asks.

Isabeau wiggles her fingers, "Touched whatever electrical wiring was in the walls and traveled through them. I couldn't grab Jo, plus I don't know if I can travel with other people while being an element."

She shakes her head, "Come on, we need to find Jo."

* * *

They enter their apartment and Dean closes the door. Sam and Isabeau walk over to their research, "Look. We've just gotta take a beat and think about this. Maybe we got Holmes' M.O. wrong."

"Yeah, well, we'd better friggin' think fast." Dean's cell phone rings again and he answers it, "Yeah."

"You lied to me. She's there." Ellen says on the other line.

"Ellen." Dean turns to Sam and Isabeau in surprise.

"No. Ash told me everything. Man's a genius, but he folds like a cheap suit. Now you put my damn daughter on the phone." Ellen demands.

"She's gonna have to call you back, she's taking care of, uh, feminine business." Dean shakes his head.

"Yeah, right. Where is she?" Dean doesn't answer and Ellen gets agitated, "Where is she?!" Ellen shouts.

"Look, we'll get her back." Dean says.

"Get her back? Back from what?

"The spirit we're hunting, it took her."

Ellen gasps, "Oh my god."

"She'll be okay, I promise." Dean says.

"You promise? That is not the first time I've heard that from a Winchester."

Dean furrows his brow, "What?"

"If anything happens to her…" Ellen trails off.

"It won't. I won't let it. Ellen, I'm sorry, I really am." Dean apologizes.

"I'm taking the first flight out. I'll be there in a few hours." Ellen hangs up.

"Damnit!" Dean shouts, walking over to Sam and Isabeau.

Isabeau shakes her head, "Don't beat yourself up, Dean. There's nothing you could have done. If anything I'm the one to blame, I didn't protect her."

Dean stares at her and rubs his face, "Tell me you've got something."

Sam sighs, "Uh, maybe. Look. You look at the layout of the Holmes murder castle, there's all the torture chambers inside the walls, right?"

Dean nods, "Right."

"But there's one we haven't considered yet. The one in this basement." Sam says.

"This building doesn't have a basement." Dean points out.

Isabeau holds up a finger, "You're right, it doesn't. But, I just noticed this. Beneath the foundation, it looks like part of an old sewer system that hasn't been used for-"

"Let's go." Dean interrupts her, grabbing his jacket. Sam and Isabeau glance at each other before following.

* * *

Sam and Dean, with a metal detector and a shovel, respectively, and Isabeau's eyes faintly glowing violet, search the streets of Philadelphia.

They follow the trail into an open field until Sam stops over one spot, the metal detector whining, "Here."

Dean drops his bag and starts digging furiously. After some shovel work, they dig with their hands to uncover a metal trap door, which they pull open.

Dean hands Sam and Isabeau each a shotgun and takes one, and a flashlight. Isabeau's eyes flash a fiery orange as she descends first, Sam and Dean following.

* * *

Dean and Sam crawl along on elbows and knees through the narrow sewer tunnels. Isabeau is ahead of them, but has turned into a ball of fire, floating along and leading the way.

* * *

Jo lies very still in the sewer prison, listening.

"Is he gone?" Teresa asks across from her in another cell.

Jo shakes her head, "I don't know. I…"

Holmes grabs Jo by the arm again, pulling her back, knocking her knife from her hand, and clamps a hand down over her mouth, "Shhh."

Jo struggles, trying to scream but gagged by Holmes' hand.

"Hey!" Dean fires his gun into Holmes' chest, sending him flying backwards and out of sight.

Isabeau seeps through the holes of the sewer grate and in a burst of flames, reforms into her body, "Jo?!"

"I'm here!" Jo calls out as Dean and Sam walk into the sewer prison as well.

Isabeau finds an iron bar leaning against a wall and starts to pry open Jo's prison with it. Sam and Dean investigate the other compartments. One contains gruesome body parts and Sam finds Teresa, "We're gonna get you out of here, all right?"

"Sam!" Isabeau the bar to Sam. She turns back to Jo, "Hang on."

She opens the compartment to let Jo out and Dean comes over to help, "You all right?"

Jo crawls out of the compartment, "Been better. Let's get the hell out of here before he comes back."

Isabeau blinks, her eyes going back to their original blue, "Actually, I don't think you're leaving here just yet."

"What?" Jo asks.

Isabeau winces as Dean places a hand on her shoulder, "Remember when you said you wanted to be bait? Now it's kind of the only plan we got."

She turns to Sam, who has an armful of terrified Teresa and he shrugs.

* * *

Jo is sitting alone, silently, in the middle of the chamber. She has her arms wrapped around her knees and is trembling, but breathing deeply and steadily.

Holmes appears behind her and he walks forward. When he gets very close, Dean shouts, "Now!"

Jo dives forwards as Sam and Dean fire at something on the walls; several bags unroll and spill salt in a perfect circle around Holmes, trapping him.

Isabeau steps into the circle to push Jo to safety as Holmes tries to reach out to attack Isabeau. Isabeau's eyes widen as he comes closer. "Beau!" Dean calls out.

Before Holmes could even get near her, Isabeau gasps as she feels something wiggle from underneath her shirt. Her eyes widen even more, if that was even possible, as a black mamba snake partially lunges out from under her shirt and hisses threateningly at Holmes.

The four stare in shock as Holmes backs away from the sudden appearance at the snake. Isabeau lifts up her shirt; half of the snake was still a tattoo on her torso as the other half is currently hissing at Holmes.

Isabeau backs up to the others, stepping over the circle to be safe and the snake sinks its way back into Isabeau's skin, turning back into a tattoo.

Holmes turns in circles, gibbering and screaming in terror. Isabeau clenches her teeth, "Scream all you want, you dick, but there's no way you're stepping over that salt."

The grate slams shut, sealing off the room.

* * *

Jo, Isabeau and Sam are standing at the entrance to the sewers, looking down.

Sam stands next to Isabeau, holding her close to him, "So? This job as glamorous as you thought it would be?" He asks Jo.

"Well, except for all the pee-your-pants terror, yeah. Sure." Jo says and Sam and Isabeau chuckle. "But that Teresa girl's gonna live a life because of us. It's worth it, isn't it?" Jo asks.

Sam nods, "Yeah. Yeah it is."

Jo looks back down, "Hey, what if somebody finds that sewer down there, or a storm washes the salt away?"

Isabeau smiles, "Both very fine points. Which is why we're waiting here."

"For what?" Jo asks her.

The loud beeping of Large Truck backing up is heard. Sam smiles and looks over his shoulder; a cement mixer is backing into the field, stopping just over the sewer entrance and Dean is driving.

"For that." She says as Sam waves at Dean to stop the truck, "Whoa!"

Dean gets out of the cab; he and Sam set up the cement mixer right over the entrance.

"You ripped off a cement truck?" Jo asks.

"I'll give it back." Dean says with a smile.

Isabeau snaps her fingers, "Damn. And I was hoping we could keep it." She jokes.

Jo gives her an amused look, "Why would you want a cement truck?"

Isabeau shrugs innocently, "Why not? Just to have one." She smiles.

All of them watch the cement pour on down with smiles. "Well, that oughta keep him down there till hell freezes over." Dean says.

Isabeau frowns, lifting up her shirt, tracing the tattoo of the black mamba snake on her torso, "Gonna have to call Uncle C and thank him."

All of them look at her tattoo. "Seriously, that was pretty awesome." Dean comments with a smile on what happened in the sewers previously.

Sam chuckles, "It looks like it was protecting you. I guess it's some sort of defense thing for you whenever you're in danger, it comes out to help."

Isabeau scoffs, pulling down her shirt, "If that were the case then why didn't it protect me from Gordon?" Isabeau huffs, "I'll have to ask Uncle C how to control it."

"It was cool though." Jo adds in.

Isabeau nods, "You kidding? I have a living snake tattooed onto my skin, I think that's the most badass thing ever!"

* * *

The impala zooms quietly down a dark road. Dean is driving, and Jo is in the seat behind him. Dean glances nervously to his right and Jo's eyes flicker to Isabeau who is sitting in between her and Sam.

Sam himself is looking straight ahead at Ellen, who stares at the road with a set jaw. Dean glances at her again before he speaks, "Boy, you, you really weren't kidding about flying out, were you?"

Ellen gives no reaction whatsoever and the three in the back exchange a look.

"How about we listen to some music?" Dean flicks the radio on.

_You're as cold as ice..._

Ellen reaches forward and flicks the radio off. The three in the back exchange another look, and Dean glances back as if for assistance. He sighs, "This is gonna be a long drive."

* * *

Ellen storms into the roadhouse, dragging Jo by the elbow. Dean, Isabeau and Sam follow.

"Ellen…" Dean starts and Ellen and Jo turn to him. "This is my fault. Okay? I lied to you and I'm sorry. But Jo did good out there, I think her dad would be proud."

"Don't you dare say that. Not you." Ellen warns, "I need a moment with my daughter. Alone."

Sam, Isabeau and Dean go outside.

"You're angry. I understand." Jo says.

"Angry? Angry doesn't begin to touch it." Ellen tells her.

"Let's just think about this. Everything's okay, I'm alive…" Joy tries to calm her mother down.

Ellen points at her, "Not after I'm through with you."

Jo sets her bags down, "Is this about me hunting, or something else?"

"You let those boys use you as bait!" Ellen says.

Jo took notice that Ellen didn't mention Isabeau in her statement, "They were right there, backing me up the whole time."

"That is why you do not have the sense to do this job, you're trusting your life to them."

Jo shakes her head, "What are you talking about?"

"Like father, like sons, that is what I'm talking about." Ellen's voice breaks.

Jo stares at her mother, "John? I thought you and John were friends."

Ellen nods, "Yeah, we were, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Mom? What aren't you telling me? And why aren't you including Isabeau?" Jo asks.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are leaning on the impala as Jo comes storming out. She glares at Dean and keeps stalking, so he follows, "That bad, huh?"

"Not right now." Jo tells him.

"What happened? Hey, talk to me." Dean reaches out to her.

"Get off me!" Jo pushes him away.

"Sorry. See you around." He turns to leave.

"Dean." Jo stops him and walks up to him, "It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone; this guy did too, but... I guess my father figured he could trust him. Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed."

Dean shakes his head, "What does this have to do with—"

"It was your father, Dean." Jo interrupts.

"What?"

"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Because he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that, that's why." Jo explains.

"Jo."

"Just... just get out of here. Please, just leave." Jo pauses, "And tell Isabeau to go talk to my mother. There's something she needs to know… I'll call her later." And with that, Jo walks away.

* * *

Isabeau stares at Ellen in shock inside the roadhouse, "What?" She asks breathlessly.

Ellen bites her lip, walking up to Isabeau, placing her hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Your parents asked to keep it hush and I had to respect their wishes."

Isabeau pulls away, running her fingers through her hair, "Why…" Isabeau huffs, "If that's the case, is that why you weren't around?"

"Yes, your parents wanted to keep any connections to you discreet. Though, don't ask me why because I have no clue." Ellen explains.

Isabeau groans, rubbing her face, "And to think my life couldn't get any weirder. First gaining new powers, then this demon being after me and now this?"

Ellen perks up, "You never told me the demon was after you. I thought it was just Sam and others like him."

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, for some odd reason this demon has his eye on me. He kept on saying all this cryptic shit to me." She shakes her head, "Though there's one that really confuses me."

"What, hon?"

Isabeau sighs, "He said, ' _He's waiting patiently in his golden cage for his princess. He misses you.'_ That and some other stuff about things being locked away in my head."

Isabeau chuckles bitterly, "I mean, what if there's a part of my life that was removed from my memories? I'm… I'm starting to remember things that I don't even remember happening. Something always triggers it; a word, an action… anything."

Ellen sighs, "We'll figure it out, hon. Have you told… Sam and Dean?" She asks.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, though we haven't really talked about it. You know? Mostly focusing on finding others like Sam to stop whatever the demon is planning."

Ellen nods, "Well, you know that you can always call me if you need me."

Isabeau smiles weakly at her, nodding, "I know. I mean, I need to call more anyways, now that I know you're my godmother."

Ellen smiles softly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's fine, Ellen, really. Though it is something I need to talk about with my parents." Isabeau says.

Isabeau huffs, starting to walk out, "Well, I guess I'll see you around… godmother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ellen is Isabeau's godmother! Surprise! I'll just drop that there and run away to write the next episode. Gonna be a little interesting with Jo having a bit of a crush on Isabeau. Isabeau does have a godfather and that will be revealed later on. Hint: We have already met him. Also, Isabeau's family isn't religious, the whole terms of godmother and godfather aren't in the religious aspects but in the ones of 'If something were to happen to Isabeau's parents, they would look after her.'
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	15. The Usual Suspects Pt.1

People chatter in the background as a man is led down a dim police-station hallway in cuffs. An officer, Peter Sheridan is on his cell phone, a mug of coffee in hand, "Under what name? Oh, yeah, that's my favorite so far. Possible ID's in three states that we know of."

He pulls a paper from the fax machine and stares at it, "I gotta call you back."

* * *

A SWAT team approaches a motel room from the outside. The team breaks open a 2nd-floor door with a battering ram. Inside, Sam and Isabeau stop, holding their hands up.

A police officer, Diana Ballard, advances on Sam and Isabeau, her gun forward, "Going somewhere, you two?"

Isabeau and Sam glance at each other.

* * *

Sheridan enters an interrogation room, sitting down across from the prisoner, "Well, first I thought you were just stepping up your game. Credit card fraud, breaking and entering, and this one... puzzled me."

He lifts up a sheet of paper to the prisoner, "Grave desecration. But still these are a long way from murder. Then we get a fax from St. Louis. Where you're suspected of torturing and murdering a young woman. However, no one could prove anything, of course, because supposedly you died there."

Sheridan shakes his head, "But I gotta tell you something. You look pretty healthy to me."

"So now we know Karen Giles wasn't the first person you murdered. But I guarantee you she's the last." He stands and walks out.

The prisoner, Dean, watches as he leaves.

* * *

Isabeau bites her lip, playing with her rosary, leaning against the far corner of the interrogation room.

"Don't they usually separate people when they interrogate, Beau?" Sam asks by his spot next to the window.

Isabeau shrugs, "Yeah, usually they do. No clue why they put us together… I don't like it." Her hands slightly shake as she continues to fiddle with her rosary.

"Hey…" Sam walks over to her, taking her hand in his unbroken one, "You need to calm down."

She nods, taking a few deep breaths, "I know… I know." Isabeau smiles weakly at him.

The two look over as the policewoman from earlier enters the interrogation room. She places two coffee cups on the table, "Thought you might be thirsty."

Sam lets go of Isabeau's hand and walks over to the table, "Okay, so you're the good cop. Where's the bad cop?"

"Oh, he's with your brother." Diana says.

Isabeau crosses her arms and moves to stand next to Sam, "Okay. And you're holding us why?"

"Well, he's being held on suspicion of murder. And Sam, we'll see. But, you Isabeau, you can walk right out that door after I ask you a few questions." Diana tells them.

Sam leans forward, shocked, "Murder?!" Him and Isabeau say in unison.

Diana tilts her head at the two, "You sound genuinely surprised. Or are you that good of an actor?"

Isabeau furrows her brow, "Who was he supposed to have murdered?!"

Diana nods, "We'll get around to that."

"Well, you can't just hold us here without formal charges!" Sam exclaims.

"Well actually, we can, for forty eight hours, but you being a pre-law student, would know that. I know all about you, Sam." She reads from one of two of the files in her hands, "You're twenty three years old, no job, no home address. Your mother died when you were a baby, your father's whereabouts are unknown. And then there's the case of your brother Dean. Whose demise was, well, just a little bit exaggerated. Feel free to jump in whenever you like."

Sam leans against the wall, folding his arms.

"Shy?" Diana asks, "No problem. I'll keep going. Your family moved around a lot when you were a kid. Despite that, you were a straight-A student. Got into Stanford with a full ride." She closes the file, placing it on the table, "Then about a year ago there was a fire in your apartment. One fatality. Jessica Moore, your girlfriend. After she died, you fell off the grid. Left behind everything."

"I needed some time off. To deal. So I'm taking a road trip with my brother and my girlfriend." Sam grunts out.

Diana tilts her head at Sam, "Girlfriend?" Sam's eyes glance at Isabeau and Isabeau shifts in her spot. Diana nods, "Oh, Isabeau is your new girlfriend? Interesting."

Diana opens the other folder she has, this time looking directly at Isabeau, "I know all about you too. Isabeau Fitzgerald MacLeod, though you just go by Isabeau Fitzgerald. You're twenty-four years old, graduated from Bakersfield College with a bachelors in art history, and almost started a job as an Assistant Art Director, pretty big deal."

Isabeau just shrugs, letting Diana continue, "You and your family live in Bakersfield, California and it looks like you own some property separate from your family. You bought an over 25,000 square foot mansion on July 15th, 2000. Big investment for an 18-year-old."

Sam furrows his brow at this new snippet of information. Isabeau never told him that.

Isabeau blinks, "I'm not the only one who owns it."

Diana nods, "Yes, but you're the first one who signed the papers to own it. Let's see…" She flips through a couple of papers, "During college you spent your freshman year away from home, other than you going to college in Bakersfield, there's no paper trail for you from that entire year. In your sophomore year, you go back home, but then at some point spend some time in Sioux Falls, becoming an honorary officer."

Diana closes the folder, "Pretty impressive. Though, about a year ago, you joined Sam and Dean. Dropping a chance at a stable career and leaving your family behind."

Isabeau's eye twitches at her statement of 'leaving her family behind'. She never did that, and she would never do that.

Diana places the folder on the table with the other one and points at the two of them, "My guess is just from the multiple times that Sam and Dean visited your home town, is that all three of you are childhood friends. Not to mention, your families used to live across from each other in Lawrence, Kansas."

Diana leans against the table, "And you two fell in love on this little roadtrip of yours."

Isabeau raises her brow, "Yeah you could say that." Everything was right except for Isabeau dating Dean as well as Sam.

"How's that going for you?" Diana asks.

Isabeau shrugs, "Great. I mean... we saw the second largest ball of twine in the continental US. Awesome." Isabeau pulls up a chair, sitting down and crosses her legs. Sam comes up next to her, pulls a chair up to the table and straddles it.

Diana comes around to Sam's side of the table, "We ran Dean's fingerprints through AFIS."

Sam nods, "Okay."

"Got over a dozen possible hits."

Sam points at her, "'Possible' hits. Which makes them worthless."

"But it makes you wonder. What are we gonna find when we run your prints?" Diana asks.

Sam chuckles, "Yeah, well." He pounds his fist on the table sarcastically with his broken arm, "You be sure to let me know, all right." Isabeau rubs her temple at his action, not the best idea to slam your broken hand into the table.

Sam points at the cups, "May we?"

Diana nods, "Please."

"Great." He sniffs the cup and sips it.

Isabeau picks up hers, sniffing it as well and frowns, placing it back on the table.

Diana tilts her head at Isabeau, "Something wrong, Isabeau?"

Sam chuckles, "She's not a coffee person."

Isabeau nods, "Despise it actually. Tea is my coffee."

Diana leans over Sam, intently, "Sam, you seem like a good kid. It's not your fault Dean's your brother. We can't pick our family. Right now detectives in St. Louis are exhuming a corpse. They're trying to figure out how your brother faked his own death. After torturing all those young women. Dean's a bad guy. His life is over. Yours doesn't have to be."

She looks over at Isabeau, "Neither of your's have to be. Isabeau, you've done so much. You have a degree and you're an honorary officer. You can walk away from this with Sam, go live in that mansion that you own and start a happy new life. Don't let Dean prevent you from doing so."

Isabeau looks at her, incredulous, "You want me to turn against one of my best friends. The older brother to my boyfriend?" She played along with Diana's idea that Isabeau was only dating Sam. Saying that she was dating both brothers could possibly make things worse than they already are.

Diana shakes her head, "No. We already caught him cold. Red-handed at the Karen Giles murder scene." She moves around to the other side of the table to face both of them, "We just need you two to fill in some missing pieces."

"Why would we do that?" Sam asks.

Diana sits down smiling at both of them, "Because I can talk to the DA. Make a deal for you. You can get on with your life together. Dean's as good as gone."

Sam thinks for a moment, looking distraught. He looks over at Isabeau and she sighs, nodding.

Sam then begins speaking quietly, "My dad and Tony Giles were old friends. They were in the service together. We've known him since we were kids, you know? So we came as soon as we heard about his death."

* * *

Dean is sitting at a cafe table reading a newspaper. The headline reads: 'Man's Throat Slit Without A Trace.'

Sam approaches with two cups of coffee with Isabeau who holds a cup of her go to tea in her hand. Sam sets the other cup of coffee in his hand down, "There you go."

As he sits across from Dean and Isabeau sits in between them, Dean hands over the paper, "Anthony Giles."

Isabeau shakes her head after taking a sip of her tea, "Who's Anthony Giles?"

"The Baltimore lawyer. Working late in his office, check it out." Dean tells them.

Sam reads the paper as Isabeau leans over to look, "Uh…" He mutters, "His throat was slit, room was clean. Huh. No DNA, no prints."

Dean takes a sip of his own coffee, "Keep reading, it gets better."

Isabeau places her cup down, reading from the paper this time, "Security cameras failed to capture footage of the assailant."

Dean raises his brows, "So I'm thinking either somebody tampered with the tapes-"

Sam smiles, "Or it's an invisible killer."

Dean raises his cup to her, "My favorite kind." He clicks his tongue, "What do you think, Scully? You wanna check it out?"

"I'm not Scully, you're Scully." Sam tosses the paper at him.

"No, I'm Mulder. You're a red-headed woman." Dean grins.

Isabeau rolls her eyes with a fond smile, "Morons."

* * *

Isabeau is continuing their story, both her and Sam going back and forth, "So," She chuckles, "Woulda been kinda hard for Dean to kill Tony, considering we weren't in town at the time."

"So tell me what happened next." Diana asks them.

Isabeau sighs, shaking her head, "Okay, uh, that's when we went to see Karen. She was barely holding it together. We just wanted to be there for her. You know?"

* * *

In the Giles' house, Karen, a young woman with dark hair and dark-framed glasses, is sitting in her home, on the verge of tears. She's looking at some forms that Sam, Isabeau and Dean, dressed as insurance company employees, have given her.

"Insurance." Karen shakes her head, "I totally forgot about the insurance."

Isabeau pushes up her own fake thick, dark-framed glasses, giving Karen a comforting smile, "We're very sorry to bother you right now, but the company is required to conduct its own investigation. You understand."

Karen wipes away a few tears, nodding, "Sure."

Isabeau nods, "Okay. Um. If you could just tell us anything you remember about the night your husband died."

"Uh, Tony and I were just supposed to have dinner. He called and said he was having computer troubles and that, that he had to work late. That was it." Karen tells them.

Sam sighs, "Do you have any idea who could have done this to him?"

Karen shakes her head, "No. No. It's like I told the police, I, I have no idea."

"Did Tony mention anything, you know, unusual to you? In the days before his death?" Dean asks.

"Unusual…" Karen trails off, confused.

"Yeah, like strange?"

Karen shakes her head again, "Strange?"

"You know, Karen, weird?" Dean smiles a little, "Weird noises, uh, visions, anything like that?"

Sam clears his throat and gives Dean a look. Karen turns to Sam, who turns on his concerned-face again, then shoots Dean another look as she glances down.

"He had a nightmare the day before he died."

Isabeau tilts her head, "What kind of a nightmare?"

Karen thinks for a moment, "Uh, he said that he woke up in the middle of the night and there was a woman standing at the foot of the bed, he blinked and she was gone, I mean, it was just a nightmare."

Dean nods, "Did he say what she looked like?"

Karen looks back and forth at all of them and addresses Dean, "What the hell difference does it make what she looked like?"

Dean glances at his brother and girlfriend, "Uh, it's just, our, our company's very thorough."

Karen stares at him, "He said she was pale, and she had dark red eyes."

* * *

"So I gave Karen a hug, told her to call me if she needed anything…" Isabeau shakes her head, "...And that was it. End of story."

Diana taps her fingers on the table, "Isabeau, I am trying to help you two here. But you have got to be honest with me."

Diana stands up as Isabeau rubs a hand over her face, "Now we have an eyewitness. Someone who saw two men and a woman fitting yours and Sam and Dean's description breaking into Giles' office."

Sam sighs, "Okay, look, Karen called us later, said that there was some stuff that she wanted from Tony's office, but the police weren't letting her in. Like, a picture of the two of them in Paris, and some other stuff. Look, it was wrong to enter a crime scene, but she gave us the key!"

* * *

Sam picks the lock on Giles' office and he, Isabeau and Dean enter, ducking under the police tape. Sam shines his flashlight on a pool of blood on the floor, "Hey. Anthony Giles' body was found right about here."

He reads from a paper copy of the newspaper from earlier, "'Throat slit so deep part of his spinal cord was visible.'"

Dean whistles, "What do you think? Vengeful spirit? Underlining vengeful?"

"Yeah, maybe. I mean he did see that woman at the foot of his bed." Sam says as he takes a seat at the desk.

Isabeau picks up a sheet of paper lying on the desk, "Hey, take a look at this."

Sam takes the paper and Dean leans over, taking a look as well. It contains small-font printing of the word 'danashulps' repeated over and over to fill the page.

"Dana Shulps. What's that, a name?" Sam asks.

Isabeau finds another paper, "I dunno, but it's everywhere." She shows them another piece of paper just like the other one. Dean comes over to her, looking over her shoulder.

She grins up at Dean who returns it, "Well, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Sam shines his flashlight down on the glass table in front of him, pausing. Dean and Isabeau notice, walking over.

He breathes on the glass, revealing the same letters, 'DANASHULPS', impressed in the surface. Sam scoffs, "Wow. I'd say we've officially crossed over into weird."

"Maybe Giles knew her." Dean suggests.

"Or maybe it's the name of our pale red-eyed mystery girl." Sam says.

"Well." Dean drops a pile of folders on another table nearby, "Let's see what we can see."

Isabeau slams a pile of papers into a filing cabinet, frustrated and having found nothing after searching through all accessible paper and computer files in the office. Sam is at the desktop computer and Dean stands a little ways away from her, just as frustrated.

She starts walking over with Dean right behind her, "There's not a single mention of a Dana Shulps anywhere. There's not a D. Shulps. Or any other kind of friggin' Shulps."

"Great." Sam groans.

Isabeau leans against the archway in the office with Dean behind her. One of his hands massage the back of her neck, "What have you got?" Dean asks.

"Nothing." Sam sighs, "No Dana Shulps has ever lived or died in Baltimore in the last fifty years at least."

"So what now?"

"Well, I think I'm pretty close to cracking Giles' password. Maybe there's something in his personal files, you know?"

Isabeau purses her lips, "By close you mean…"

Sam shrugs, "Thirty minutes, maybe?"

Dean glances at his watch, "Awesome. So I guess we just get to, uh, hang out." Dean takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, "That's awesome." He mutters.

Isabeau shakes her head, walking over to take the other chair, but let's out a small yelp as Dean pulls her backwards and into his lap. She lands sideways, her legs draping over one arm of the chair and leans back against the other. One of Dean's hands lays in her lap and the other rests on the arm of the chair that Isabeau's back was against.

Isabeau playfully glares at Dean and all he does in return is grin up at her, content with their position.

Sam glances up at them before going back to typing, concentrating.

Some time passes and even though Dean was enjoying Isabeau being in his lap as she absentmindedly plays with his fingers, he starts to become annoyed at waiting. He starts making clicking and mouth-fart noises.

Isabeau raises a brow at him and Sam looks at him annoyed by his noises, "Dude, seriously." Sam asks.

Dean sighs, "All right, I'm gonna go talk to Karen again, see if she knows anything about this Dana Shulps, huh?"

Sam nods, "Great."

Dean pats Isabeau's thigh, signalling her to get up. She does so, letting out another yelp as Dean smacks her ass with a smirk.

Isabeau glares at him, but can't help but smile at his actions.

Dean starts walking toward the office door, flashing his flashlight at Sam, "Keep going, Sparky."

* * *

"Then Dean went back to Karen's place to check up on her. I mean, you know, she had been pretty upset earlier." Sam explains.

Diana shakes her head, "So why didn't you go with him?"

Sam frowns, "We just went back to the motel." Sam shakes his head, "How'd you know we were there, by the way?

Diana steps forward from the wall she was leaning on, "We found the motel matchbook on your brother when we arrested him."

She shows them a plastic bag with the very matchbook she was talking about, "Let's quit fooling around. Now you and Isabeau were with your brother the whole time you were in Baltimore. Why separate now? Because your brother left you two. To go murder Karen."

"He didn't kill anyone." Isabeau says, calmly.

Diana hits the table, "I heard the 9-1-1 call! Karen was terrified. She said someone was in the house."

* * *

Karen is sitting on the sofa in pajamas, crying, with the TV on, low. As she blows her nose, she hears a figure pass by.

She takes off her glasses to rub her eyes and she pauses, then puts them back on. Across the room in a mirror she sees a ghostly figure and she yelps. She turns on the light and the figure is gone.

Karen gets up, panicked, and goes into the hallway, then into the bedroom and shuts the door. She calls 9-1-1. "Hello, emergency services." The operator answers.

"Hello? I think I saw someone in my house." Karen whispers.

"What is your address, ma'am?" The operator asks.

"It's 421 Clinton Avenue. Please, can you-" There is a click, and the call is disconnected, "Hello?"

The printer on her desk flicks on and starts printing out the same repeated pattern as before: 'danashulpsdanashulpsdanashulps'.

Karen fumbles for a flashlight inside her closet, turns, and sees the ghost behind her; it's a young blond woman with dripping red eyes. Karen screams.

* * *

Dean arrives at Karen's and knocks on the door, "Karen, you in there?"

Dean looks around, then picks the lock and enters. He tries the light by the door, but it doesn't work.

He goes further into the house, up the stairs and into the bedroom. He pushes open the door and sees Karen lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood with her throat slit deeply.

Dean sees the pages from the printer and frowns, "Seriously, what the hell?"

Dean kneels down by Karen's body, noticing bruises on her wrists. He takes one wrist in his hand.

"Freeze." Behind Dean, two cops have their guns trained on him.

"Stay on your knees. Hands where I can see them. Now!" The police officer demands and Dean complies. "Cuff him."

* * *

Sheridan is sitting in an observation room from which he can see Dean, handcuffed to a table. Diana enters, "You getting anywhere with him?"

Sheridan shakes his head, "No. Just a lot of wise-ass remarks. You?"

"Sam and Isabeau's story matches Dean's to the last detail." Diana tells him.

Sheridan hums, "Hmm. Yeah, well, these guys are good. I'll give 'em that. Though I'm surprised that the honorary officer in with Sam isn't letting up."

The two leave the room, "She's dating the younger brother, and all of them grew up together. She might be in denial that one of her best friends is a murderer." She pauses, "If we don't get Sam and Isabeau to flip we have nothing but a lot of circumstantial evidence."

"Hey. We've got Dean at the crime scene with blood on his hands. Juries have convicted for less." Sheridan tells her.

"Yeah, but, I mean, where's the murder weapon? What's the motive?" Diana asks, "You talk about reasonable doubt." The two of them stop in one of the hallways of the station.

"Diana." Sheridan touches her face, "Do you have reasonable doubt? We keep leaning on these guys, one of them will tumble. And don't forget about St. Louis. I'm telling you. This Dean guy is our guy."

They start walking again, "I know Tony Giles was a friend of yours." Diana says.

Sheridan nods, "Yeah. He was, he was a good friend."

Diana sighs, "Look, and I know you want to clean this mess up quick. But come on, Tony knew a lot of criminal types. I mean, maybe we just…"

Sheridan smiles, "'Criminal types'? He was a defense lawyer, for godsakes, of course he knew criminal types."

Diana shakes her head, "Okay. All right, let's get back at 'em."

Sheridan stops, leaning against a soda vending machine, "No, you know what? Let 'em stew in their juices for a bit. Come here."

Diana smiles, stepping toward him and the two kiss. Diana cups his cheek with a smile before walking away from him.

* * *

Dean, still handcuffed to the table, is muttering to himself, thinking, "Dana Shulps, Dana Shulps, Dana Shulps Dana, Dana Shulps…"

* * *

Isabeau pulls a piece of paper from the files in front of her, flipping it over to a blank side. She grabs a pen and writes 'DANA SHULPS' in block letters, frowning in thought.

Sam, who was pacing, leans over her shoulder, placing his hands on either side of her on the table, "You read my mind."

Isabeau scoffs, "Great minds think alike."

* * *

"Maybe it's not a name. Maybe it's not a name." Dean thinks out loud.

* * *

Sam frowns, "Anagram, maybe?"

Isabeau hums and writes underneath the first line, then continues.

* * *

Head down, Dean continues to mutter to himself. There's a knock on the door and he looks up. A smiling middle-aged man pokes his head in.

"Mr. Winchester?" The man asks.

"Yeah." Dean confirms.

The man steps in, closing the door behind him, "I'm Jeffrey Kraus. I'm with the public defender's office. I'm your lawyer."

Dean smiles, "Oh. Thank god. I'm saved." He says deadpan.

"Hey, could I, uh, steal a pen from you? Some paper?" Dean asks as Kraus sits down.

"Sure." Kraus hands over the items and Dean starts scribbling.

"Uh, well, the police haven't found a weapon yet. So that's good. But, uh, they got your prints. And literally blood on your hands. And with your police record, uh…" Kraus sees that Dean is ignoring him, "Mr. Winchester? What are you doing?"

"I think it's an anagram." Dean grunts out.

"A what?" Kraus asks.

"An anagram. Same letters, different words." Dean explains.

The pad of paper now reads:

DANA SHULPS

DAN SHULPAS

LAND PUSHAS

SUPASH LAND

PUSH LANDAS

PLUSH DANAS

"Uh, do me a favor? See if you recognize any of these words, you know, local names, places, anything like that?" Dean asks, flicking over the pad of paper to Kraus.

"Do you understand how serious these charges are?" Kraus asks.

Dean chuckles, "I'm handcuffed to a table. Yeah, I get it. Humor me. Take a quick look."

Kraus pulls the pad over to him, "Well, S-U-P, I don't know about that, but Ashland is a street name. Not far from here."

"A street." Dean takes the pad back, tears off a sheet of paper and starts writing again.

"Let's start with where you were the night Anthony Giles died." Kraus says.

"Can you get in to see my brother and girlfriend?" Dean asks, not looking up.

Kraus leans forward, "Mr. Winchester, you could be facing the death penalty here."

Dean looks up, "Hey, thanks for the law review, Matlock. But. If you want to help me…" He holds up the folded note he's just finished, "I need you to see my brother and girlfriend."


	16. The Usual Suspects Pt.2

Diana is writing up reports at her computer. Suddenly, the repeating string DANASHULPS starts scrolling across the screen. She looks around, nervous.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are looking at the note Dean sent them, which reads:

HILTS & KING-

IT'S A STREET

ASHLAND.

-MCQUEEN

Sam folds the note, both him and Isabeau stare at Kraus as he speaks, "I hope that's meaningful. But I'd like to discuss your case now."

Sam gestures to the chair, "Sure thing, Matlock."

Kraus nods, "You two really are brothers, aren't you?" He sits down, "Now. As you know, the DA might be interested in…"

A knock on the door is quickly followed by Diana, who addresses Kraus, "We need you. With the other one."

* * *

Several others have crowded into the observation room outside where Dean is being held and across from his seat a digital camera has been set up. Diana and Kraus enter the interrogation room.

Sheridan turns to them, "Counselor? Your boy decided to confess."

Kraus steps forward. "Mr. Winchester? I'd advise against that strongly."

Sheridan points to the camera, "Talk directly into the camera, first stating your name for the record."

Dean clears his throat and leans forward, looking into the camera, "My name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, and love my beautiful girlfriend. And I did not kill anyone."

He looks up at Sheridan and Diana, "But I know who did. Or rather what did. Of course it can't be for sure, because our investigation was interrupted. But our working theory was that we're looking for some kind of vengeful spirit."

Diana shakes her head, "Excuse me?"

"You know, Casper the bloodthirsty ghost?" Dean jokes.

In the observation room, the spectators start laughing.

"Tony Giles saw it." Dean continues, "I'll bet you cash money Karen did too. But see, the interesting thing is the word it leaves behind. For some reason it's trying to tell us something. But communicating across the veil, it ain't easy. You know, sometimes the spirits, they, they get things jumbled."

Dean nods, "You remember 'REDRUM'. Same concept. You know, it's, uh, maybe word fragments, other times…" He pulls out his piece of paper from earlier, "It's anagrams. See, at first we thought this was a name, Dana Shulps."

Diana's jaw slightly drops at the information as Dean talks, "But now we think it's a street. Ashland. Whatever's going on, I'll bet you it started there." Dean spreads his hands and smiles.

"You arrogant bastard. Tony and Karen were good people, and you're making jokes." Sheridan says.

Dean shakes his head, "I'm not joking, Ponch."

Sheridan walks over, "You murdered them in cold blood just like that girl in St. Louis."

Dean turns back to the camera, "Oh, yeah. That wasn't me either. That was a shape-shifter creature that only looked like me."

He smiles at the camera. Sheridan loses his temper and hauls Dean up by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

"Pete, that is enough!" Diana shouts.

"You asked for the truth." Dean says.

Sheridan pushes him away, "Lock his ass up."

Another cop takes over, shoving Dean face-first against the wall and handcuffing him.

* * *

Sheridan and Diana return to find Sam and Isabeau gone. The coffees and the note are still on the table.

"What the hell? Where are they?" Sheridan goes to the window, which is open, and looks out. It's maybe a four story drop with no visible fire escape nearby.

Diana sees the note on the table and picks it up.

Sheridan turns back, "What'd they do? The fire escape's way over... what?"

"These three." She hands him the note.

Sheridan reads it, "Hilts, King and McQueen?"

"Hilts is Steve McQueen's character in the Great Escape. 'King' is a reference to his character's nickname, 'The Cooler King'." Diana explains to him.

* * *

Diana enters the bathroom and the lights flicker. She sighs as she approaches the sink, it turns on by itself.

She recoils and all the faucets start pouring out hot water, steam rising. In the fogging mirror the letters DANASHULPS are formed. Diana scrubs them away to reveal the ghost. Her throat is slit deeply, her eyes deep red and she struggles to talk.

* * *

Dean is handcuffed to another table as Diana enters, nervous and she shuts the door.

"Can we make this quick? I'm a little tired, it's been a long day, you know, with your partner assaulting me and all." Dean says.

"I want to know more about that stuff you were talking about earlier." Diana says.

Dean shakes his head at her, "Time Life. Mysteries of the Unknown. Look it up."

Diana moves around the table and faces him, "Let's pretend for the moment you're not entirely insane."

Dean hums, "Mmm."

"What would one of these things be doing here?" Diana asks.

"A vengeful spirit?" Dean questions, "Well, they're created by violent deaths. And then they come back for a reason, usually a nasty one. Like revenge on the people that hurt 'em." He explains.

"And uh, these, spirits, they're capable of killing people?" As she rubs her neck, Dean notices something on her wrist.

"Where did you get that?" He asks.

She pulls up her sleeves to reveal deep bruises, like those on Karen's wrists, "I don't know. It, it wasn't there before."

Dean leans forward, "You've seen it, haven't you? The spirit?"

Her eyes widen, "How did you know?"

"Because Karen had the same bruises on her wrists. And I'm willing to bet that if you look at Giles' autopsy photos he's got 'em too, it's got something to do with this spirit, I... I don't know what." Dean says.

Diana turns away, looking into the mirror.

"I know. You think you're going crazy. But let's skip that part, shall we? Because the last two people who saw this thing? Died, pretty soon after. You hear me?" Dean asks.

Diana turns to him, "You think I'm going to die."

"You need to go to Sam and Isabeau. They'll help." Dean tells her.

Diana steps forward, "You're giving them up."

Dean sighs, "Go to the first motel listed in the yellow pages. Look for Jim Rockford - it's how we find each other when we're separated. Now you can arrest them if you want. Or you can let them save your life."

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are sitting at a motel desk, going through files. "So… how did it feel?" Isabeau suddenly asks.

Sam looks up at her, confused. She sighs, "Being a literal ball of fire with me." That's how Sam and her got out. She had never traveled as a ball of fire with any before, she didn't even know if it would work, but she took the chance and it worked out.

He thinks about it for a second, "Weird at first… but then all I felt was warmth. Not like burning hot, but a comforting warmth, like sitting next to a fire on a cold winter day warm."

He then smiles, "Is that how it always feels?"

Isabeau shrugs, "My fire is dependent on my emotions. It's hard to explain really. I can feel my fire, but it doesn't affect me in the sense of burning me. When I'm angry and I slip into my blue flames, it gets hot, like standing in a burning building hot."

"When I use it for simple things or just using it in general, it feels like I'm surrounded by candles; calm and relaxing, and doesn't feel like I'm touching it at all." Isabeau continues to explain.

She sighs, "Sometimes, being around you and Dean… it's comforting." She smiles, "It's because that's how I feel around you two. Happy, safe… I guess you could say, I'm all warm and fuzzy inside with you and Dean."

Sam's eyes soften, "That's cheesy, Beau."

Isabeau nods with a chuckle, "Yeah, but cut me some slack. I'm never cheesy. I could stop you know? Or I can be extra cheesy?"

Sam chuckles, "I'll take all the cheese. As long as I can do the same?"

Isabeau scoffs, going back to her papers, "Are you kidding me? Lather me in all your cheesiness. I love it when you and Dean are like that."

Before Sam could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Sam and Isabeau exchange a look and Sam opens it to find Diana.

* * *

Isabeau frowns as Diana shows Isabeau her wrists, "These showed up after you saw it?" Sam stands next to her, looking at the wrists too.

Diana shakes her head, "Yeah, I guess."

Sam sighs, "All right. You're going to have to tell us exactly what you saw."

Diana rubs her hands together, walking away from them, "You know, I must be losing my mind. You're a fugitive. I should be arresting you."

She looks over at Isabeau, "And you, you're an honorary police officer helping them. This could be bad for you."

Isabeau crosses her arms, "First off, I have a handful of officers that will vouch for me and this could all be easily swept under the rug and you know what?" She juts her thumb at Sam, "You can arrest him later, all right? After you live through this. But right now you've gotta talk to us. Okay?"

Diana nods.

Sam and Isabeau share a look. Isabeau stays in her spot as Sam leans against the dresser, "Okay, great. Now, this spirit. What did it look like?" He asks.

"She was, um, really pale, and her throat was cut, and her eyes, they were like, this deep dark red? It appeared like she was trying to talk to me. But she couldn't. It was just... a lot of blood." Diana recalls, sitting down on the edge of one of the beds.

Sam looks over at the table, "You know what? Here." All three of them walk over to the table, "We've been researching every girl that's ever died or gone missing from Ashland Street."

Sam sits down at the table and Isabeau does the same across from him. Sam gathers up a stack of crime scene photos.

Diana points at them, "How'd you get those? Those are from crime scenes, and booking photos."

Isabeau tips her imaginary hat to her, "Amazing what you have access to as an honorary officer, huh?"

Sam smiles at her and hands the photos to Diana, "Here. I need you to look through these, tell us if you recognize anyone."

Diana sits and flips through the stack. On the third photo, a young woman's booking photo, she stops, "This is her. I'm sure of it."

Diana hands to the photos back to Sam and Isabeau comes over staring down at it, "Claire Becker? Twenty eight years old, disappeared about eight or nine months ago." She says.

"But I don't even know her. I mean, why would she come after me?" Diana shakes her head.

"Well, before her death, she was arrested twice. For dealing heroin. You ever work narcotics?" Sam asks.

She nods, "Yeah, Pete and I did. Before Homicide."

Isabeau picks up the photo, "You ever bust her?"

"Not that I remember."

Isabeau sets down the photo as Sam reads the report, "It says that she was last seen entering 2911 Ashland Street. Police searched the place, didn't find anything." He hands the paper to Diana, "Guess we gotta check it out ourselves. See if we can find her body."

"What?" Diana asks as Sam stands up.

Isabeau moves to grab and put on her jacket, "Well, we gotta salt and burn her bones. It's the only way to put her spirit to rest."

Diana stares at the both of them, nodding, "Of course it is."

* * *

Sam and Isabeau lead Diana into a dark and creepy warehouse. "So what exactly are we looking for?" Diana asks them.

"I'll let you know when we find it." Sam tells her.

They split up, Sam checking up a flight of stairs and Diana and Isabeau continuing on the lower level.

They turn towards a window and see Claire, standing by it. The ghost appears closer to them and struggles to talk. Isabeau suddenly feels her throat burning and starts to cough violently, holding a hand to her throat. Diana grabs a hold of Isabeau's arm, backing her up with her.

"Sam! Sam! Sam!" Diana shouts out, looking over to the staircase.

As Sam runs down the stairs to Diana and Isabeau, the ghost disappears. Isabeau gasps, coughing less violently and leaning on her knees to keep herself steady.

Sam comes running over, "Hey! Hey, I'm here, what is it? What happened?" He looks over at Isabeau's state, "Beau?!" He crouches down to her eye-level, placing his flashlight under his arm and cups her cheeks, "Hey, breathe. In and out."

Sam instructs her and Isabeau complies, taking shaky breaths. He looks up at Diana, "What happened?"

"Claire…" Diana starts.

"Where?"

"She, she was here." She tells him.

Sam looks over at Isabeau, "Did she attack you?"

Diana shakes her head, answering for Isabeau who was still trying to breathe normally, "No. No, she was just like, reaching out to me. She was over there by the window. Isabeau just started coughing violently when she appeared. She was holding her throat."

Isabeau starts to breathe normally again, and lets out one last cough, "I'm fine."

Sam stands up from his position, Isabeau straightening back up, rubbing her neck. She looks at Sam, giving him a knowing look, "Felt it, Sam."

She removes her hand and Sam frowns when he sees that her neck is a bright red, "You're neck, Beau."

Diana looks over and frowns, "How?"

Isabeau just shakes her head, "Worry about it later." She looks at Sam, "I'm fine, okay?" She shines her flashlight where Claire was moments ago.

The window where she stood is blocked by a shelving unit. Diana walks over to the shelving unit, trying to move it, "Here, help me move this." She asks Sam and Isabeau to help her.

"All right." Sam says.

They shove the shelves aside, revealing the window. It is labeled from the outside: ASHLAND SUP, the ending of 'SUPPLIES' has faded away.

"Our little mystery word." Diana says.

They turn to see a shadow on the opposite wall, casting the words into clear reflection.

"Now the extra letters make sense." Sam pulls out his EMF reader and approaches the opposite wall.

"What is that?" Diana asks him.

Sam glances at her as she and Isabeau follow him, "Spirits and certain remains give off electromagnetic frequencies."

"So if Claire's body was here, that would indicate that?" Diana asks.

Isabeau shrugs, "Yeah. Well, that's the theory."

The EMF reader purrs as he waves it over the brick wall and he turns to them.

* * *

Sam starts breaking through the wall with a sledgehammer. Isabeau tilts her head at him with a sly smile. She shakes her head, blinking, scolding herself; no checking out and fawning over one of your boyfriends at a serious moment.

When he's knocked out a sizable hole, he pokes his flashlight inside, "Yeah. Yeah, there's definitely something in there."

Isabeau comes over with Diana behind her. Sam puts his flashlight away, "You know? This is bothering me." He is about to slam his elbow into the wall, but Isabeau stops him, handing him her flashlight and starts doing it herself. She didn't want Sam to get another broken bone.

Sam stares at her, saying nothing. His heart couldn't help but flutter a little at her actions.

"Well, you are digging up a corpse." Diana points out.

Isabeau grunts, knocking more of the wall down as Sam speaks, "No, not that. That's, uh, that's pretty par for the course, actually."

"Then what?" Diana asks.

Isabeau grunts again, "He means," She slams her elbow, knocking down more bricks, "No vengeful spirit we've ever tussled with wanted to be wasted, so why the hell would Claire lead us to her remains? It doesn't make any sense."

Sam smiles at Isabeau who has broken open most of the wall. "All right, here. Give me a hand." Isabeau says.

Together, Isabeau and Diana pull out a shroud-wrapped body and place it on the ground. Sam pulls out a pocket knife and cuts the ropes holding the shroud together, uncovering her. Diana holds out her wrists.

Sam sighs, "Her wrists. Yeah, they'd be bruised just like yours?"

Diana notices a necklace on the corpse and touches it cautiously.

Isabeau glances at her, "That necklace mean something to you?"

Diana looks at them, "I've seen it before. It's rare. It was custom made over on Carson street." She reaches into her neckline, pulling out a necklace, "I have one just like it. Pete gave it to me."

* * *

"Now this all makes perfect sense." Sam nods, piecing things together.

Diana looks up at Sam and Isabeau, "I'm sorry?"

Sam shakes his head, "Yeah. You see, Claire is not a vengeful spirit, she's a death omen."

Diana stands from her crouched position, "Excuse me?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "Claire's not killing anyone. She's trying to warn them. You see, sometimes spirits, they don't want vengeance, they want justice. Which is why she led us here in the first place. She wants us to know who her killer is. And," She points to her neck, "How she was killed."

She bites her lip, "Detective, how much do you know about your partner?"

Diana thinks, "Oh my god."

"What?" Sam asks.

Diana walks past them, "About a year ago, some heroin went missing from lockup. Obviously it was a cop. We never found out who did it. But whoever did it would need someone to fence their product."

"Somebody like a heroin dealer." Sam concludes, "Somebody like Claire."

* * *

Sheridan is driving an armored van with Dean in the back. "So I'm being extradited to St. Louis, huh? And you just decided to transfer me yourself, eight hundred miles? At two in the morning? This can't be good."

* * *

Diana is driving Isabeau and Sam down a similar stretch of road, finishing a call on her cell phone, "All right. Thanks." She hangs up.

"What is it?" Sam asks from the back seat.

Diana glances over at both of them, "Pete just left the precinct. With Dean."

Isabeau's eyes widened from where she sat in the passenger seat, "What?"

"He said the prisoner had to be transferred, and he just took him. Dispatch has been calling but he won't answer the radio." Diana explains.

Isabeau blinks, "Radio? He took a county vehicle?"

"Yeah." Diana answers.

Isabeau and Sam exchange a look. "Well, then they should have a lo-jack, you've just gotta get it turned on." Sam says.

* * *

The armored van pulls off the road and stops. "Pee break? So soon? You might want to get your prostate checked." Dean jokes.

Sheridan gets out and circles to the back.

"Son of a bitch." Dean growls out.

Sheridan opens the van. "Hey, I'm cool in the van, you go do what you gotta do." Dean says.

Sheridan hauls Dean out and throws him to the ground, "You're a cocky son of a bitch. You think those people in St. Louis are gonna buy that crap you're peddling? Here's the thing. You're not gonna make it to St. Louis. You're gonna die trying to escape."

He pulls out his gun and points it at Dean's head.

Dean raises his hands in defense, "Wait! Wait. Let's, let's talk about this. I mean, you don't want to do something that you're gonna regret."

Sheridan cocks the gun. Dean looks down, "Or maybe you do."

"Pete!" Diana shouts, pointing her gun at Sheridan, "Put the gun down." Isabeau and look over at Dean, relieved that he's not hurt.

"Diana? How'd you find me?" Sheridan asks, still pointing his gun at Dean.

"I know about Claire." Diana says.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Put the gun down!" Diana shouts.

Sheridan shakes his head, "Oh, I don't think so. You're fast. I'm pretty sure I'm faster."

Dean glances over, catching eyes with Isabeau who was breathing deeply, trying to calm herself so she wouldn't do something she would regret later.

"Why are you doing this?" Diana asks.

"I didn't do anything, Diana."

"It's a little late for that."

Sheridan shakes his head again, "It wasn't my fault. Claire was trying to turn me in, I had no choice."

"And Tony? Karen?" She asks.

Sheridan nods, "Same thing! Tony scrubbed the money, he got skittish, and then he wanted to come clean. I'm sure he told Karen everything."

Dean glances at Sam, who's giving him 'How do we get out of this' look. Dean shakes his head, and Sam grits his teeth. Isabeau stares down at the gun in Sheridan's hand, narrowing her eyes at it.

"It was a mess; I had to clean it up. I just panicked." Sheridan admits.

"How many more people are gonna die over this, Pete?" Diana asks.

Sheridan smiles, "There's a way out. This Dean kid's a friggin' gift. We could pin the whole thing on him. Right? No trial, nothing. Just, just one more dead scumbag."

"Hey!' Dean and Isabeau say at the same time, both offended at Sheridan's words. Isabeau looks back down at Sheridan's gun, squinting her eyes at it, a headache starting to rise.

Sheridan raises the gun and Dean backs off, "No one will question it. Diana, please. I still love you."

She lowers the gun.

"Thank you. Thank you." As he turns back to Dean, Isabeau's eye twitches and his gun goes flying out of his hand. At the same time, Diana brings her gun up and fires, hitting Sheridan in the stomach. He goes down and Dean rolls out of the way.

Isabeau blinks, her head is pounding, but she pushes away the pain and rushes over to Dean, "Dean!" She crouches down in front of him, checking to see if he was hurt anywhere.

Dean smiles at her, "I'm good, sweetheart."

Isabeau smiles, but then it falls as she looks over at Sheridan. Diana walks up to him, "Then why don't you buy me another necklace, you ass?"

Sheridan tackles her legs, knocking her down. She loses her gun and Sam tries to go for it, but Sheridan gets there first.

"Don't do it! Don't do it!" Sheridan points the gun at Sam who raises his hands in defense. Isabeau focuses on the gun again, hoping to replicate what she did before, but whimpers in pain as her head feels like it's being hit with a sledge hammer.

Sheridan points the gun at Isabeau and Dean. Dean raises one hand up as he pulls a whimpering Isabeau behind him.

Sheridan backs up, now pointing the gun at Diana. She stares past Sheridan, who turns to see the ghost of Claire behind him, staring through her bloody hair. She smiles.

A gunshot goes off. Diana has recovered a weapon and shot Sheridan in the back and he goes down, more permanently this time.

Sam makes his way over to his brother and Isabeau. Dean turns to Isabeau, frowning. She's clutching her head, still whimpering at the pain.

Dean lifts his hand to her forehead, "Jesus, Beau. You're burning up."

Sam crouches down, worried, "Beau, what's going on? Did… did you do that?" Sam asks referring to Sheridan's gun flying out of his hands previously.

Isabeau nods weakly, "Yeah, guess my telekinesis is growing? Only took twenty years to do so." She jokes at the end.

Dean shakes his head, gently pulling her close into his arms, petting her head softly, "Take it easy." He glances up at Sam.

"Take it easy." Dean whispers to her.

* * *

The next morning, Diana is kneeling by the body of her late partner. She gets up and approaches Sam, Isabeau and Dean, standing nearby. Isabeau's headache was still there, the harsh pounding stopped, but her head felt like lead, struggling to to focus.

Isabeau leans against Dean who was still petting her head softly.

"You doin' all right?" Sam asks Diana.

Diana shakes her head, "Not really. The death omen Claire. What happens to her now?"

"Should be over. She should be at rest." Sam tells her.

"So, uh. What now, officer?" Dean asks.

Diana nods, "Pete did confess to me. He screwed up your cases royally. I'd say that there's a good chance that we could get your cases dismissed."

Sam smiles, "You'd take care of that for us?"

"I hope so. But the St. Louis murder charges?" She shakes her head as Dean glances away, "That's another story. I can't help you. Unless... I just happened to turn my back, and you walked away. I could just tell them that the suspects escaped."

"Wait, are you sure?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, she's sure, Sam." Dean says.

"No, it's just, I mean, you could lose your job over something like that."

"Look, I just want you guys out there doing what you do best. Trust me, I'll sleep better at night."

She looks at Isabeau, "This won't be counted against you Isabeau. It'll just say that you were in town helping the investigation and when the suspects escaped, you headed back on the road."

Isabeau smiles, pulling away from Dean a little bit and puts out her hand, "Thank you, Diana."

Diana smiles, shaking Isabeau's hand, "Your welcome, Isabeau. Gotta say, Sam's pretty lucky to have such a talented girlfriend."

Isabeau chuckles, "Actually…" She grabs a hold of Sam and Dean's hands, "I'm the lucky one. Got both my boys."

Diana raises her brows, looking between all of them, "Didn't expect that." She pauses, addressing Sam and Dean, "Listen, you need to watch your back. They're gonna be looking for both of you right now. Get out of here. I gotta radio this in."

Dean stops Diana from leaving, "Hey, uh, you wouldn't happen to know where my car is, by chance?"

"It's at the impound yard down on Robertson." Seeing Dean's calculating look, she points at him, "Don't... even think about it."

Sam shakes his head with a smile, "It's okay, it's all right, don't worry. We'll, uh, we'll just improvise. I mean, we're pretty good at that."

"Yeah. I've noticed." Diana smiles at them.

Isabeau lets go of Sam's and Dean's hands, shoving her own in her pockets, wanting to try walking on her own as they walk off down the road. "Nice lady." Sam says.

Dean nods, "Yeah, for a cop. Did she look familiar to you?"

"No, why?" Sam asks, reaching over to playfully shove Dean.

"I don't know. Anyway, are you hungry?" Dean asks.

"No." Sam immediately answers and Isabeau shrugs.

"For some reason I could really go for some pea soup." Dean says with a smile.

* * *

Isabeau sighs in content as she lays down on one of the motel beds, pressing a towel full of ice on her forehead. She lets out a small giggle as a little bit of steam radiates from her forehead.

She always found it amusing that whenever she was sick or had headaches, her entire body would burn up and when she touched ice or cold water, steam would just come off her, melting ice or heating up the cold water.

She remembers all the ice baths she had to take whenever she got the flu. She practically lived in the tub for a full week because she would set fire to anything she touched.

Over the years, she got better at controlling her fire whenever she got sick, but she always took the ice baths just in case.

Isabeau winces as she looks over to see Sam and Dean entering their motel room with a few bags in their hands. They were able to get the impala back with a simple flash of Isabeau's credentials.

Sam and Dean smile weakly at Isabeau, being careful not to make too much noise. The boys insisted on stopping a motel for a few hours once they were a good distance away from the police. Isabeau's headache never stopped and they made a quick run to get a bag of ice for her and also grabbed her ice cream.

Ice cream was another thing that helped Isabeau. It cooled her down from the inside as the bags of ice helped her on the outside.

"You boys are saints, I swear." Isabeau smiles at them. They set down the bags briefly, taking off their jackets and putting them off to the side.

Dean comes over with the bag of ice in one hand and with a bucket he got from the motel office. He sits down on the edge of the bed next to her, opening the bag and pouring the ice into the bucket, "If you need more, this is going to be right here." He speaks softly.

Sam places the multiple pints of ice cream in the mini freezer they had in the room, "I got a few of your favorites, plain vanilla, strawberry cheesecake, and…" Sam chuckles, "Black raspberry dark chocolate chunk." He places a few more into the freezer which were no doubt ice cream that were for him and Dean.

Sam wasn't one for a lot of sweets, but once in a blue moon never hurt anyone. He throws away the plastic bags and walks over to sit on Isabeau's other side, "How you doing?"

Isabeau shrugs, scooting backwards to lean up against the pillows, "Still warm, head kind of feels like lead. The ice feels like absolute heaven." Isabeau sighs, closing her eyes.

Dean rubs her thigh softly, "Need anything else from us, sweetheart? Ice cream? I can do the whole airplane thing?" Dean jokes.

Isabeau grins at his joke, not opening her eyes, "Ice cream can wait."

Sam and Dean share an amused look. Sam leans over placing a small kiss on her temple, "I'm gonna go and pay for the room for the rest of the night and tomorrow."

Sam gets up, grabbing his wallet and exits the motel room.

Once he leaves, Dean shifts, crawling into the bed next to Isabeau, sliding his arm under her neck to prop her head up slightly and takes a hold of the towel of ice, removing it from her forehead.

Isabeau opens her eyes, looking up at Dean, confused, "Dean, what are you doing?"

"Shh… remember when we were younger, you were 18, you got really sick that one weekend after we went out on a hunt together. We were a few days out away from home and I was freaking out because I didn't know what to do?" Dean recalls, placing the towel off to the side and unfolds it revealing the ice.

Isabeau chuckles, "Yeah, I kept on setting off random fires to whatever I touched. You kept on asking me what I needed and what you could do to help. There was pure panic in your eyes. Thought was hilarious when you saw me in my two piece swimsuit when I bathed in the ice bath."

Dean shrugs, grabbing a chunk of ice from the towel, "I was 21 and staring at my practically almost naked best friend, who I was harboring feelings for. But that's not the point."

"What is your point?" Isabeau asks with a soft smile.

Dean takes the chunk of ice and places it on her forehead, it already starts to melt slowly as he slides it across her skin, "It got so bad one night that I blasted the air condition in our motel room because you passed out from how much you were burning up. I had your limp body in my arms and I called your dad, panicking. He told me to keep you cool with ice and to not leave you alone for one second until you got better."

He glides the ice down Isabeau's face. Her breath hitches and she closes her eyes, relaxing. Ice always felt amazing on her skin, and Dean being gentle with her made it so much more enjoyable.

"I had to get buckets of ice and did what he said. You were hot to the touch and every time I would place an ice cube on you, it would melt within minutes." He slides the ice down to her neck gliding over the redness on her neck, "This is what I did for hours, Beau. Taking care of you and the entire time I couldn't stop my heart from beating so much."

Isabeau smiles, "I remember that night. I think I finally woke up around two in the morning? I felt so tired and weak. When I felt you holding me in your arms and doing whatever you could do to help me, my heart ached, but in a good way. You spent that entire weekend taking care of me, Dean."

Dean smiles softly, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, moving the ice cube over her shoulders and underneath her jaw, "And I'd do it over and over again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm honestly really happy with the way this turned out. Like damn. Claps to me because I am proud. Isabeau's powers continue to grow and they will grow slowly. It will take time for her to be able to us telekinesis without using her hands and then it will be awhile until she has full control over it. Also, some little fluff at the end of this for all of you. And... Isabeau owns an over 25,000 square foot mansion? Damn girl! Well, she's one of the owners. And who knows, maybe one day we will go to this mysterious mansion?
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	17. Crossroad Blues Pt.1

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are sitting at a table in a diner. Isabeau is sitting next to Dean, picking at her fries as Sam has his laptop open. Onscreen is a mugshot of Dean from the St. Louis Police Department, "So much for our low profile. You've got a warrant in St. Louis, and now you're officially in the Fed's database." Sam tells him.

Dean grins, "Dude, I'm like Dillinger or something."

"Dean, it's not funny. Makes the job harder, we've gotta be more careful now." Sam says.

"Well, what do they got on you?" Dean asks.

Sam stares at him for a second and types on his laptop, "I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet." He mutters.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No accessory? Nothing?" She was genuinely curious.

"Nope." Sam answers.

Dean laughs, "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not!"

Dean takes a bite of his fries, "Uh-huh. All right. What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?" He wraps his arm over Isabeau's shoulders with a smug smirk.

Isabeau chuckles, "Oh, Sam is far from innocent."

Sam gives her a look which causes Isabeau to raise her hands in defense with a small smile. Sam shuts his computer, and pulls out several pages of research, "Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed."

Dean hums, "Hmm. Build a high-rise and jump off the top of it. That's classy. When did he call animal control?"

"Two days earlier." Sam answers.

"Did he actually say Black Dog?" Isabeau asks, many thoughts flooding her mind.

Sam nods, reading the papers, "Yeah. 'A vicious, wild, black dog.' The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it; in fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work, two days later he takes a swan dive."

"Do you think we're dealing with an actual Black Dog?" Dean asks.

Sam shrugs, "Well, maybe."

"What's the lore on it?"

Sam passes Dean the papers as Isabeau explains, "It's all pretty vague. I mean, there are spectral black dogs all over the world, but... some say they're animal spirits, others say death omens. But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty…"

Dean looks at the pictures, "Yeah, I bet they could hump the crap outta your leg, look at that one, huh?" He holds up a picture and smirks. Sam glares at him and the smirk slips, "What? They could."

* * *

In a posh, well-lit apartment, Sam, Isabeau and Dean are wearing suits and interviewing a man. "So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost ten years, right?" Sam asks.

"That's right. Now one more time, this is for...?" The man asks, looking over at Isabeau.

She pushes up her thick framed glasses, for some odd reason she really loved wearing them, "A tribute to Mr. Boyden. Architectural Digest." The Man laughs.

Isabeau tilts her head, "This funny to you?"

The man shakes his head, "No, it... it's just, a tribute. Yeah. See, Sean always got the tributes. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind... well, he gets another tribute."

"Right." Sam sighs, "Any idea why he'd do such a thing?"

"I, I have no clue, I mean he lived a charmed life." The man says.

"How so?" Sam asks.

The man shrugs, "He was a flat-out genius. I mean, I'm capable, but next to him, I... and it wasn't always that way, either."

"No?" Dean asks.

The man sighs, "You wanna know the truth? There was a time where he couldn't even design a pup tent. Hell, ten years ago he's working as a bartender at this place called Lloyds. A complete dive."

Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, "Right. So what changed?"

The man looks over at her, "You got me. But overnight, he gets this huge commission, and he starts designing... he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen. It was like, the level of Van Gogh, and Mozart…" He stops abruptly.

"What?" Dean asks.

"It's funny. True geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they? To have that kind of talent? Why... why just throw it away?" The man asks.

* * *

Dean exits a building designated Animal Protection Agency, still wearing the suit. Sam and Isabeau are waiting in the car, still wearing their own suits. Dean gets in the driver's side.

"So?" Sam asks.

Dean sighs, "Secretary's name is Carly. She's twenty three, she, uh, kayaks, and they're real." Dean jokes.

Isabeau gives him a look, and wacks him over the back of the head, "You didn't happen to ask her if she's seen any black dogs lately, did you?"

Dean rubs the back of his head, de deserved that one and holds up a page, "Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black, or dog-like. There's nineteen calls in all. And, uh,"

He pulls off a post-it note, "I don't know what this thing is."

Sam takes it, reads it, and laughs. He glances at Isabeau who is glaring at the post it note and then glances at Dean, "You mean Carly's MySpace address?"

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, MySpace, what the hell is that?"

Sam laughs again.

"Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?" Dean asks.

Isabeau snorts, "No it means I might go have to go kick some girls ass."

Sam chuckles, "Easy there, Beau. No threatening some poor girl today."

Dean raises his brow at Isabeau with a smug smirk, "Someone is overprotective." He places a hand on her thigh, squeezing it.

Isabeau scoffs, "Oh, come on! You two practically sent me out of commission for a whole day because of the fact that Gordon filtered with me. I'm entitled to be overprotective."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam approach yet another white suburban door and knock. "I swear, if this is another freakin' Pomeranian barking in the neighbor's yard…" Dean says.

The door opens to reveal a young woman. "Afternoon, ma'am." Isabeau pulls out an ID, "Uh, Animal Control."

The woman shakes her head, "Oh, someone already came yesterday."

"Oh, we're just following up. We're looking for Dr. Sylvia Pearlman?" Sam asks.

* * *

The three stand inside the kitchen as the woman talks to him, "The Doctor, well, she, I don't know exactly when she'll be back, she left two days ago."

"Okay. And you are...?" Sam asks.

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid." The woman nods.

"So where did the Doctor go?" Dean asks.

The woman shakes her head, "I'm not sure. She just packed and went, she didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

Isabeau sighs, "Oh, not yet. You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?"

"Well, no. I never even heard it." The woman says.

In the background, Dean takes a photograph off the wall. It shows Dr. Pearlman at a bar with two friends.

The woman continues, "I was almost starting to think the Doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so…"

"Hey, you know I read she was, uh chief surgeon at the hospital. She's gotta be what, forty two, forty three? That's pretty young for that job." Dean says.

The woman smiles, "Youngest in the history of the place. She got the position... ten years ago?"

Isabeau nods, fiddling with her rosary inside her jacket pocket. Ten years, huh? Looks like she needed to make a call.

Dean nods, humming, "Huh."

Sam does the same, "Huh. An overnight success. Ten years ago."

"Yeah, we know a guy like that. Oh, look at this." Dean holds up the photo, flips it over to show writing on the back, "Lloyd's Bar."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam pull up outside Lloyd's Bar and get out, no longer dressed in their suits. As they walk towards the bar, Dean notices some yellow flowers growing by the side of the road. He stops, "Hey."

Isabeau and Sam stop, "Yeah?" Sam asks.

Dean points at the flowers that were all growing along the crossroads, "That's weird."

"What?" Sam asks again.

"Think someone planted these?" Dean walks up to the flowers, Sam and Isabeau follow.

"Middle of all these weeds?" Sam asks as they stop in front of a patch of them.

"These are, uh, what do you call 'em." Dean asks.

Isabeau crouches down, plucking a few from the ground, "Yarrow flowers." She stands up straight, smiling at them and sniffs them, taking in their scent.

Sam and Dean look over at her, "Used for certain rituals, aren't they?" Dean asks.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, actually. Summoning rituals." She pulls aside her jacket and places the flowers in her inside pocket for later.

Sam raises a brow at her and she shrugs, "What? Can use them for later. Summoning isn't their only purpose."

Dean chuckles, "Heh. So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right around the time they were hanging out here at Lloyd's."

"Where there just happens to be a crossroads. You think?" Sam asks.

"Let's find out." Dean walks to the center of the crossroads and looks around, measuring, "This seem about the dead center to you?"

* * *

Dean digs a few inches into the hard soil with a shovel and hits something solid. He stops, "Yahtzee."

He drops the shovel and digs with his hands, pulling out an old rusted box. He opens it and it contains, among other things, several small bones and a small stoppered jar that Sam takes out, "I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone."

Isabeau frowns at the bones. She was thankful that she and her coven didn't need animal bones to do any of their craft, "That's serious spellwork. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff." She says.

Sam shakes his head, "Used to summon a demon."

Isabeau huffs as all three of them stand from their crouched position, "Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing. You know, 'cause that always ends good." She says the last part sarcastically.

"They're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds. Demonic pit bulls." Sam says.

Isabeau purses her lip, stopping herself from saying anything. Yeah, Hellhound could be pitbulls, but they could also be black german shepherds.

Dean agrees, "Yeah, whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough."

* * *

Isabeau, Sam and Dean stand by the impala, Isabeau was playing with more of the yarrow flowers in her hands.

"So it's just like the Robert Johnson legend, right?" Sam asks, "I mean, selling your soul at the crossroads, kind of deal?"

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. I mean, you know his music." Dean says and Sam shrugs.

Dean shakes his head, "You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Sam, there's, there's occult references all over his lyrics, I mean, Crossroad Blues? Me and the Devil Blues? Hellhound on My Trail?"

Sam frowns, and Dean rolls his eyes, "The story goes, he died choking on his own blood, he was hallucinating, and muttering about big evil dogs."

"And now it's happening all over again." Sam says.

"Yeah." Isabeau confirms, still playing with the flowers.

"We've gotta figure out if anyone else struck any bargains around here." Sam says.

Dean nods, "Great. So we've gotta clean up these peoples' mess for 'em? I mean, they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play Let's Make A Deal."

Sam shakes his head, "So what, we should just leave them to die?"

"Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?"

"Dean." Isabeau scolds, placing the flowers with the other ones inside her jacket.

"All right. Fine." Dean pauses, "Rituals like this, you've got to put your own photo into the mix, right?" He asks Isabeau and she nods.

Dean holds up a small photo of a man, "So this guy probably summoned this thing, let's go and see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are walking up a set of wide, wooden stairs to the fourth floor of an apartment building. "What's this guy's name again?" Sam asks.

"George Darrow." Dean answers, "Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's. Though this house probably ain't up next on MTV Cribs, is it?"

Sam chuckles, "Yeah. So whatever kind of deal he made…"

"Wasn't for cash." Isabeau says, "Oh, who knows. Maybe this place is full of babes in Princess Leia bikinis." She smirks at her joke.

Dean smacks her ass in warning and Sam sighs at her, giving a look.

Isabeau chuckles at them, "No, I'm just saying, this guy's got one epic bill come due. Hope at least he asked for something fun."

They reach the landing and stop in front of apartment 4C. The floor is dusted with a fine black powder. "Look at that." Sam says.

They crouch down, fingering it. "What is that, pepper?" Dean asks. Isabeau shakes her head, she knew what it was; it was Goofer Dust.

The door opens to reveal George; a middle-aged man with graying hair, wearing a grimy t-shirt and open button-down, "Who the hell are you?"

"George Darrow?" Isabeau asks.

"I'm not buying anything." George almost closes his door.

Dean stops him, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker there. Heh. Usually when you want to keep something evil out you go for the salt."

George's eyes shift over all three of them, "I don't know what you talkin' about."

"Talkin' about this." Dean holds up the small picture, "Tell me... You seen that Hellhound yet?"

"Look. We want to help. Please. Just five minutes." Sam begs.

* * *

George shows them in and pours himself a glass of whisky. The studio apartment is filled with paintings, completed and half-finished, and a table holds painting supplies.

Isabeau smiles as she looks around. Looking at all the paintings made her miss her small art studio in the basement of her house that she shared with her father.

"So what is that stuff out front?" Sam asks.

"Goofer Dust." Isabeau answers before George could.

They look at Isabeau blankly as she smiles at George, "Beautiful work by the way."

George points his finger at her, "I like you." He turns to Sam and Dean, "What, you boys think you know somethin' about somethin' but not Goofer dust?"

He tosses Dean a brown sack, tied close with twine.

Dean catches it, "Well, we know a little about a lot of things. Just enough to make us dangerous."

Sam shakes his head as Isabeau steps in between Sam and Dean, "What is it?" He asks.

"Hoodoo. My grandma taught me. Keeps out demons." George says.

Dean chuckles, "Demons we know."

"Well, then. Keep it. Maybe it'll do you some good." George walks over to a chair, "Four minutes left."

Dean glances at Sam, who takes the lead, "Mr. Darrow. We know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into." Dean comments.

Sam looks over at Dean, "But it's not hopeless, all right?" He half-directs his words to him, "There's gotta be something we can do."

George waves his hand at them, "Listen. I get that you three want to help. But sometimes a person makes their bed, they've just got to lie down in it. I'm the one called that demon in the first place."

Isabeau tilts her head, "What'd you do it for?"

"I was weak." George answers her, "I mean, who don't want to be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just... I just never thought about the price."

"Was it worth it?" Dean asks.

"Hell no. 'Course, I asked for talent. Shoulda gone for fame." He chuckles bitterly, "I'm still broke, and lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst."

"Go on." Sam urges.

George shakes his head, "Demon didn't leave. I never counted on that. After our deal was done the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week. Just chattin'. Makin' more deals. I tried to warn folks, but, I mean who's goin' to listen to an old drunk?"

Isabeau shifts in her spot, "How many others are there?"

George thinks, "Uh, the architect, that doctor lady. I kept up with them, they've been in the papers. Least they got famous."

Dean steps forward, "Who else, George? Come on, think."

"One more. Uh, nice guy too. Hudson. Evan, I think. I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We done for." George says.

Sam shakes his head, "No. No, there's gotta be a way."

"You don't get it! I don't want a way!" George places his glass down.

"Look, you don't-"

George abruptly gets up from his chair, "I called that thing! I brought it on myself. I brought it on them. I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want is to finish my last painting. Day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold them off 'till then. Buy a little time. Okay. Time you went, go help somebody that wants help."

"We can't just-" Sam tries to speak.

"Get out!" George shouts, "I got work to do."

"You don't really want to die."

"I don't?" George asks, "I'm... I'm tired."

They leave as George starts painting. Isabeau pauses in the doorway and gestures for Sam and Dean to head down the stairs without her.

They share a look and nod, leaving Isabeau in the doorway.

Isabeau sighs, walking back over to George, staring at the painting as he works. "I thought I told you to get out?" George asks, still painting.

She shrugs, "I'm stubborn, especially when I see work I like."

George halts and turns to her, "You like my work?"

Isabeau nods, "It's a hundred percent different my style, but I find interest in everyone's work."

George chuckles, painting again, "So you're an artist? Well known?"

Isabeau shakes her head, "Nope, but that's okay. I'm mostly skilled in art history, but I have a passion for painting as well… I would like to take a few off your hand."

George looks at her in disbelief. Isabeau shrugs sheepishly, "If you don't mind? I know that time is short, but I want you to know that at least your work will be appreciated and looked at by many."

George thinks for a moment, "Do me a favor."

Isabeau nods, "Anything."

He sets down his brush and palette, walking over to his desk, pulling something out of a drawer. George walks back over, grabbing her hand and placing a small, cold metal object in her palm, "When my time is up, take it all."

Isabeau looks down and opens her hand, seeing that he placed a spare key to his apartment in her hand. She looks back up at George and nods.

George smiles, patting her shoulder, "Thank you. At least I know it will be going somewhere safe and not thrown away."

Isabeau places the key in her pocket, "Of course. You have my word."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam approach Evan's front door. Sam knocks and a moment later, Evan opens the door, "Yes?"

"Evan Hudson?" Isabeau asks.

"Yeah." Evan nods.

"You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's? Would have been about ten years ago." Dean says.

Terrified, Evan slams the door and latches it. "Come on, we're not demons!" Dean shouts.

Inside, Evan bolts into a back room. "Any other bright ideas?" Sam asks Dean.

Dean steps back, sets himself, then kicks the door down in one go and they enter. Outside the back room Evan has just entered, Dean prepares to kick down that door too.

Isabeau catches his leg, stopping him, "What —" Looking at Dean pointedly, Isabeau turns the handle and pushes the door open gently.

The room is quiet as they enter. "Evan?" Sam calls out

Evan jumps out from behind a bookshelf, "Please! Don't hurt me."

Sam holds his hand out, pacifying, "We're not going to hurt you, all right? We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made." Dean says.

"What? How?" Evan asks.

Isabeau waves her hand dismissively, "Doesn't matter. All that matters is, we're trying to stop it."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Evan asks.

Dean sighs, "Well, you don't, but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy-boy."

Evan swallows and starts pacing, "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know. We'll try." Sam tells him.

Evan rubs a hand over his face, "I don't want to die."

Dean scoffs, "Of course you don't, not now."

"Dean. Stop." Sam says quietly.

Dean ignores him, "What'd you ask for anyway, Evan? Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"

"My wife." Evan answers.

Dean laughs, "Right. Gettin' the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

"Dean, stop." Isabeau warns.

"No." Evan walks over to them, "He's right, I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm, that... woman, or whatever she was, at the bar? She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but... I don't know how to— I was desperate."

"Desperate?" Sam asks, confused.

Evan sighs, "Julie was dying."

Dean glances over at Isabeau, "You did it to save her?"

"She had cancer, they'd stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice, they kept saying... a matter of days. So yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot." Evan explains.

Dean nods, "Did you ever think about her in all this?"

"I did this for her."

Dean advances on him, "You sure about that? I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's going to have to live without you now. But what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

Sam puts a hand on Dean's chest, pulling him back, "Okay, that's enough. You just sit tight, all right? We're going to figure this out."

Dean leaves the room and Isabeau stares after him, before following, "Dean…"

Sam follows them into the hallway, "You all right?" He asks Dean.

Dean turns to Sam and Isabeau, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Hey, I got an idea." He pulls out the Goofer dust, handing it to Sam, "You two throw George's hoodoo at that Hellhound, keep it away from Evan as long as you can. I'm gonna go to the crossroads and summon the demon."

Isabeau eyes widened and she grabs his arm, "Summon— are you nuts?"

Dean clicks his tongue, "Maybe a little. But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

Sam shakes his head, "Yeah, but how much time?"

"I don't know, a while. I mean, it's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back from hell and into the sunshine." Dean says.

Isabeau scoffs, "No. No way."

"You're not allowed to say no, Beau, not unless you've got a better idea." Dean challenges her. She wanted to say that she could go and fix it herself. She knew that she could.

"Dean, you can forget it, all right? We're not letting you summon that demon." Sam firmly stands his ground on the matter.

"Why not?" Dean asks.

"Because I don't like where your head is at right now, that's why not."

Dean blinks, "What are you talking about?"

Sam nods, "You know, you've been on edge ever since we found that crossroads, Dean, and I think I know why."

"We don't have time for this." He brushes past Sam and Isabeau, but is stopped by a single word.

"Dad." Sam starts, "You think maybe Dad made one of these deals, huh? Hell. I've been thinking it. I'm sure you've been thinking it too."

Dean turns to face them, "It fits, doesn't it? I'm alive, Dad's dead. The yellow-eyed demon was involved. What if he did? What if he struck a deal? My life for his soul?" He says quietly.

Isabeau looks over to the room as she hears low growls from outside. "I think I hear it! It's outside!" Evan shouts from the room.

"Just keep him alive, okay?" Dean asks.

Isabeau steps forward, grabbing his arm, stopping him, "Dean…"

Dean turns, grabbing Isabeau's face and kissing her passionately. Isabeau sighs, reciprocating the kiss. He pulls away, both staring into each other's eyes. Dean didn't want to admit it, but he would do the same thing Evan did if anything ever happened to Isabeau. If he lost her again, he would do anything to bring her back.

"Don't…" Isabeau let's out a shaky breath, "Don't you dare make any deals. Because I will break it the second you do. You hear me?"

Dean says nothing, still staring down at her.

Isabeau bites her lips, tears pooling, "You hear me, Dearie?" She repeats. She didn't want to think about dragging his ass out of hell. Not now, not ever.

He swallows, "I hear you." He gives her one last passionate kiss and pushes her back lightly, "Go!" Dean turns and walks away from his girlfriend and brother.


	18. Crossroad Blues Pt.2

Dean places a photo of himself in George's box of Hoodoo Magic. He buries it dead center at the crossroads, scraping the dirt over it with his hands.

As he stands, a beautiful young woman in a black dress appears behind him, "So. What brings a guy like you to a place like this?"

He just stares at her, not fazed by her beauty. In his eyes, no woman could compare to his Isabeau.

"You called me?" The demon asks with a smile.

Dean shrugs, "I'm just glad it worked."

"First time?"

Dean nods, "You could say that."

The demon starts walking up to him, "Oh, come on now. Don't sell yourself short. I know all about you, Dean Winchester." Her eyes glow red for a moment.

Dean smiles a little, "So, you know who I am."

"I get the newsletter." She says.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense. What have you heard?" Dean asks, staying in his place.

"Well, I heard you were handsome, but ... you're just edible. What can I do for you, Dean?" She asks, taking another step toward him.

Dean knew that Isabeau was going to beat his ass for saying the words coming out of his mouth, "Maybe we should do this in my car. Nice and private." He smirks.

"Sounds good to me." She says and they stroll to Dean's impala.

* * *

Sam is sprinkling the dust in a line before the windows and fire place, then starts making a circle of it around Evan, who stands in the middle of the room.

"What is that stuff?" Evan points to the bag in Sam's hand.

"Goofer dust." Sam answers.

"You serious?"

Isabeau pushes off from the wall she was leaning on, stepping forward, "Yeah. 'Fraid so. Look. Believe us, don't believe us, whatever you want. Just whatever you do, stay inside the circle, all right?"

Evan nods at her demands.

* * *

Dean and the demon are still strolling towards the impala. "So I was hoping we could strike a deal." Dean says.

"That's what I do." The demon says.

"I want Evan Hudson released from his contract."

The demon hums, "Hmm. So sorry, darling. That's not negotiable."

"I'll make it worth your while." Dean says.

"Oh really? What are you offering?" The demon asks.

"Me." Dean answers, stopping and turning to her.

The demon smiles, "Well, well, well. You'd sacrifice your life for someone else's. Like father, like son."

Dean eyes her warily.

* * *

Evan is hugging himself, standing in the middle of the circle that Sam is just finishing. He shakes the bag to get out the last grains, "That's the last of it."

Isabeau sighs, fiddling with her rosary, thinking about Dean.

* * *

The demon walks up to the impala, facing Dean, "You did know about your dad's deal, right? His life for yours? Oh, I didn't make the deal myself, but... boy, I wish I had."

Dean grits his teeth and opens the passenger side door, "After you."

"Such a gentleman." As she starts to get into the car, she looks down and sees the edge of a symbol extending from below the car.

"A Devil's Trap? You've got to be kidding me." She growls out.

* * *

Evan whirls around at growling coming from outside. Isabeau turns her head toward the same direction hearing it as well.

"What?" Sam asks.

Evan hears the dog growling again, "You hear that?"

"No, where?"

Evan and Isabeau turn to the door as they hear the demonic growling. "Right outside the door." Evan tells them.

The doors begin to rattle violently and Sam steps inside the circle, "Beau… come on." Sam grabs Isabeau's hand, pulling her into the circle and into his chest, holding her close.

Side by side inside the circle of dust, Evan and Sam stare tensely at the rattling door. "Just don't move, all right? Stay where you are." Sam tells Evan while keeping Isabeau close.

Isabeau stares at the doors with a frown, flinching at the growling. Unlike Evan, she heard the hellhounds growls for a whole different reason.

* * *

"You stupid, stupid... I should rip you limb from limb." She slams the car door shut and advances on Dean.

"Take your best shot." Dean says, more pleading than defiant, backing up towards a wooden structure.

The demon pauses, "No. I don't think so. I'm not going to put you out of your misery."

"Yeah? Why not?" Dean asks.

"Because your misery's the whole point. It's too much fun to watch. Knowing how your daddy died for you, how he sold his soul. I mean, that's gotta hurt." The demon says as Dean is backed up against a wooden railing.

"It's all you ever think about. You wake up and your first thought is, 'I can't do this anymore.' You're all lit up with pain. I mean, you loved him so much. And it's all your fault." Dean recoils as she gets more in his face.

She chuckles, "You blew it, Dean! I could have given you what you need."

"What do I need?" Dean asks.

The demon smiles, "Your father. I could have brought him back. Your loss. See ya, Dean. I wish you a nice long life." She begins to walk away.

"Hold on." He calls her.

She stops, smiling.

* * *

The rattling becomes louder, more violent, then stops suddenly. Isabeau furrows her brow, confused. She knew hellhounds don't stop until they've finished their job.

"Do you still hear it?" Sam asks Evan.

"No. Is it over?" Evan asks.

A rumbling sound comes from a grating by the wall. They all whirl to stare at it. It bursts outward, kicking dust into the room.

"It's here!" Evan shouts.

Isabeau swallows, staring deep into the hellhounds red eyes. She knew that Evan could see them and Sam couldn't. She glances up at Sam; one day she'll tell them that she can see hellhounds.

* * *

The demon stops and turns back. Dean is standing beneath the wooden structure, head down.

"You're lucky I've got a soft spot for lost puppies and long faces. I just can't leave you like this. Besides. You didn't call me here to bargain for Evan. Not really." She walks over to him, leaning against the wooden structure.

Dean exhales deeply, "Can you bring him back? My dad?"

The demon smiles, "Of course I can. Just as he was. Your dad would live a long and natural life, like he was meant to. That's a promise."

"What about me?" Dean asks.

"I could give you ten years. Ten long good years with him. That's a lifetime. The family can be together again. John, Dean, Sammy. The Winchester boys all reunited." She says and then smirks.

"Even you and Sam can tie the knot with our special little Isabeau, make her Mrs. Winchester." Dean furrows his brow at the demon's mention of Isabeau. Every single demon called Isabeau special and he wanted to know why.

She smirks, "Maybe have a few kids each? Get that cozy little house that she mentioned. Be one happy little family."

She advances towards him, "Look. Your dad's supposed to be alive. You're supposed to be dead. So we'll just set things straight, put things back in their natural order. And you get ten extra years on top. That's a bonus."

She's very close to him, but he turns and walks farther back, "You think you could…" He turns to face her, "...Throw in a set of steak knives?"

The demon takes a few steps forward, chuckling, "You know, this smart-ass self-defense mechanism of yours…"

She stops and looks up. Above her head, on the ceiling of the wooden structure, is a Devil's Trap. She glares at him, "Dean!"

Dean smirks, "Now you're really trapped. That's gotta hurt."

"Let me out. Now." The demon demands.

"Sure." He says sarcastically, "We just gotta make a little deal here first. You call off your Hellhounds and let Evan go. Then I'll let you go."

She smiles, "I can't break a binding contract."

Dean hums, "Hmm. And by 'can't' you mean 'don't want to'? Last chance. Evan and his wife get to live to a ripe old age. Going, going…"

"Let's talk about this." The demon says.

"Okay, gone." He circles around her, pulling out John's journal.

* * *

The barking is growing louder and closer, to Sam the Hellhounds surrounding them were invisible, but Isabeau could see them as clear as day.

"No! Back inside the circle!" Sam shouts, pushing Evan and Isabeau behind him.

Deep claw marks are gouged into the floor in a path towards the circle and they stop just before the edge.

"Come on, Dean." Sam grits out.

* * *

Dean has opened the journal and he holds a rosary in one hand.

"What are you doing?" The demon asks.

"Oh, you're just gonna go on a little trip. Way down South." Dean tells her.

"Forget Evan. Think of your dad." The demon says desperately.

Dean thinks for a moment before scoffing, "Regna terrae, cantate Deo…" He continues the exorcism, circling the demon, who begins to flinch and convulse.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Evan back away slowly as the wind starts to eat away at their protective circle.

"Circle's broken. Come on!" Sam shouts, grabbing Isabeau's arm as she grabs Evan's. They pull Evan out of the room and down the hall.

"Go! We can split them up!" Isabeau says, running down a different hall.

"Isabeau!" Sam shouts, groaning at his girlfriends actions. He continues to run with Evan, darting into a storeroom and slamming the door behind them.

Sam braces himself against it and the Hellhounds start to pound it down.

Isabeau runs down a hallway, skidding to a stop when she comes to a dead end, "Shit." She freezes when she hears a low growling behind her.

She turns around slowly, and a few feet into the hallway are two hellhounds staring her down, stalking closer to her.

Isabeau backs up, her back thudding against the wall and slides down to the floor. Her gaze never leaves the hellhounds piercing red eyes.

They come closer and closer until the two hellhounds are face to face with her. She closes her eyes, waiting. She hears the hellhounds sniffing her and opens her eyes in shock as she feels the two hellhounds start licking her face.

She starts to giggle quietly, petting the two hellhounds on their heads, "I was wondering when you two were going to remember me."

The hellhounds wag their tails happily, continuing to lick her face, whining in happiness as they curl up to her.

* * *

"...in potentis Magnife!" Dean continues his exorcism.

"Wait!" The demon shouts.

* * *

The violent pounding stops and everything goes quiet. Sam and Evan look around, panting.

In another hallway, Isabeau looks up as the other hellhounds stand at the end of the hallway, waiting for the two next to Isabeau.

"Go." Isabeau simply says and the two hellhounds run to the others and all of them disappear from Isabeau's sight.

Isabeau gets up from the ground and frowns. She never knew why she could see hellhounds, it seemed normal because her father and brothers could see them too.

"Beau!" Sam shouts, stopping at the end of the hallway, sighing in relief when he sees Isabeau unharmed.

He runs over to her and pulls her into a bone crushing hug, "Don't ever do that again." He scolds her.

"You got-" She's cut off as Sam passionately kisses her.

They pull away and Isabeau chuckles at him, "With kisses like that, maybe I should put myself in peril more often?"

Sam shakes his head, chuckling, "Just shut up and kiss me."

* * *

Dean and the demon are locked in a kiss. Before the demon could turn it into a passionate one, Dean pushes her away in disgust, whipping his mouth, stepping back, "What the hell was that for?" He's gonna wash his mouth out vigorously when he gets the chance.

The demon smiles, "Sealing the deal."

Dean grimaces, "I usually like to be warned before I'm violated with demon tongue."

"Evan Hudson is free. He and his wife will live long lives." The demon tells him.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Dean asks.

"My word is my bond."

Dean nods, "Oh, really?"

"It is when I make a deal. It's the rules. You got what you wanted. Now let me go." The demon demands.

Dean steps back, glancing up at the Devil's Trap and he fingers the rosary, being reminded of Isabeau.

"You're gonna double-cross me?" The demon asks, "Funny how I'm the trustworthy one."

Dean shrugs.

"You know, you renege? Send me to hell? Sooner or later I'm gonna climb out, and skinning Evan Hudson will be the first thing that I do." The demon tells him.

She then smirks, "And you'll never know why yours and Sam's Isabeau is so special."

Dean clenches his jaw, glaring at her, "You shut up about Isabeau."

The demon chuckles, "But you're curious. You and Sam. I will tell you this free of charge. When we demons say she's special, believe us when we say she is. Every demon knows that Isabeau is off limits; no killing and no making deals with her. Though a little beating doesn't hurt."

"Why?" Dean growls out.

"I knew you were curious." She sighs, smiling, "We were told not to by those higher than us. It may be surprising to you, but Isabeau is a favorite in hell. Even has a whole spot just set up for her. Though she doesn't know any of this."

The demon continues, "Many care for her; good and evil. And one day, she will become her true self."

Dean sighs, "How does she not know any of this? What is she?"

The demon shrugs, "Memories locked away by one of the people she loves most. Slowly she will start to remember. But, what she is… that's something she needs to figure out herself… if she lives long enough."

Dean raises his brow as the demon continues her tangent, "John even tried to save Isabeau too." She smirks when she sees that she gets a reaction out of Dean, "But, it didn't work out like he hoped."

Dean exhales, taking in the information, He stashes the rosary away, climbs up and breaks the protective circle above her head.

She steps out, "I gotta tell you. You would have never pulled that stunt if you knew."

"Knew what?" Dean asks.

"Where your dad is. You should have made that deal. See, people talk about hell, but it's just a word. It doesn't even come close to describing the real thing." The demon says.

Dean smirks, "Shut your mouth, bitch."

"If you could see your poor daddy? Hear the sounds he makes 'cause he can't even scream?" The demon taunts him.

Dean advances, "How about I send you back there?"

She throws her head back and black ichor pours out of her mouth as she screams. Dean backs up until he's against the wooden structure again.

The demon is gone, and the girl who had hosted it slumps to the ground, confused, "What... how did I get here?"

* * *

Dean is driving down a dark road as Sam broods beside him, "Demons lie all the time, right? Maybe she was lying." He glances over at Isabeau who was laying down in the backseat, sound asleep.

"Come on. That really what you think?" Dean glances at Sam. Sam looks down.

"How could he do it?" Dean asks aloud.

"He did it for you." Sam answers.

Dean smiles bitterly, "Exactly. How am I supposed to live with that? You know, the thought of him... wherever he is right now."

He shakes his head, "I mean, he spent his whole life chasing that... yellow-eyed son of a bitch. He should have gone out fighting. That was supposed to be his legacy. You know? Not bargaining with the damn thing. Not this."

"How many people do you think Dad saved? Total?" Sam asks.

"That's not the point, Sam."

"Evan Hudson is safe because of what Dad taught us. That's his legacy, Dean. But we're still here, man. So we gotta keep going, for him." Sam pauses, "Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"When you were trapping that demon, you weren't... I mean, it was all a trick, right? You never considered actually making that deal, right?" Sam asks nervously.

Dean stares straight ahead, then glances out the window. He reaches forward, about to turn the radio on full blast, but stops. He glances in the rearview mirror at Isabeau's unconscious body and pulls his hand away from the radio.

Dean ignores Sam's words, "She told me about Isabeau."

Sam flinches at Dean's change of subject, "What did she say?"

Dean swallows, "That Isabeau is off limits to demons in hell. No killing or making deals with her, though apparently a beating here and there is okay."

"Why is she off limits? That makes no sense. Yellow-eyes tried to kill her, Dean." Sam asks, confused.

His brother shrugs, "She said that those higher than her have ordered them not to, but I don't know, man. Maybe yellow-eyes was testing out something. The demon said that dad tried to save Isabeau too. Maybe yellow-eyes said no and wanted to see what would happen."

Sam shakes his head, "Even then, what in the world brought Isabeau back? If it wasn't the demon, then who?"

Dean sighs, rubbing his face, "I don't know. Whatever is going on, Isabeau doesn't even know. I mean, she told us herself. She's starting to remember things from her childhood that she doesn't remember even happening."

He scoffs, "Not to mention she just found out Ellen is her godmother because her parents told her not to tell Isabeau." He bites his lips, "I love Isabeau's parents, but I think they're hiding stuff from her."

Sam looks over his shoulder, Isabeau hasn't stirred once, "I hope that's not true."

Dean nods, "I hope so too."

* * *

Isabeau walks out into a park, looking up at the moon that was shining down at her from up above, "Yeah, just send it all to the mansion with the girls. They'll know where to place them." She says over the phone.

"All of these paintings, black mamba?" Her Uncle C asks through the phone.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, the man deserved a little recognition for his work."

Uncle C sighs, "Always a softy. Even for those who made deals."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Just please send them to the girls. I know they'll enjoy them."

"All right, black mamba, as you wish. It'll be wonderful to see the girls again. Your little coven is adorable." Uncle C teases.

She chuckles, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to see you too. By the way, I know I owe you that week, think we can do that soon? I'm pretty sure we'll be going on hunt after hunt in a bit."

Uncle C hums, "Sounds lovely. How is your little relationship going? I hope they're treating you well."

Isabeau nods, "Yes, Uncle. They've been absolutely wonderful. No need to send in the cavalry."

"Where are they? I would think you would be right by their side at one in the morning?"

She pauses, "They're at a motel a few blocks away sleeping, I just needed to go for a little walk. Clear my head and all that."

"I see." Uncle C smiles on the other line, "Well enjoy your little nighttime stroll, I will be arriving at the mansion sometime tomorrow with the paintings. I love you, black mamba."

"Love you too, Uncle C." She hangs up her phone, shoving it in her jacket pocket.

She sighes, pulling out a tennis ball from her other pocket, tossing it in the air before smirking and throwing it into a small batch of trees. It disappears from her sight and she looks out into the trees; waiting, "Come on… come on." She whispers.

Isabeau smiles as she hears a howl in the distance. From the darkness of the trees comes running out a black german shepherd dog with red eyes, holding the tennis ball in it's mouth. Isabeau falls to her knees, patting them, beckoning the dog over to her, "Come on, Ophelia! Come on!"

The black german shepherd, Ophelia, drops the tennis ball in front of Isabeau, instantly attacking Isabeau with licks all over her face, climbing all over her. Isabeau laughs as she pets Ophelia's fur, "Good girl. I missed you too."

Ophelia drops to the ground on her back, letting Isabeau give her tummy rubs, "Such a good girl!" Isabeau praises Ophelia. She picks up the tennis ball, getting up and starts to run away from Ophelia, "Come on, girl!"

Ophelia instantly gets up, following her owner and plays fetch with her. Isabeau laughs as she plays with Ophelia.

She loved her little hellhound.

* * *

Isabeau smiles sadly as she watches Ophelia run back into the batch of trees, her fur letting her blend into the shadows, making it seem like she was never there.

She tilts her head at the sound of an engine pulling up to the sidewalk next to the park. She turns around, sighing when she sees the impala pull up and the engine turns off.

Dean steps out of the impala, leaning against the hood, staring at Isabeau. Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, walking over to her boyfriend, "Hey." She says when she steps in front of him.

"It's two in the morning, Isabeau." Dean points out to her.

Isabeau shrugs, "Needed to go for a walk. Wasn't tired. Slept in the car, remember."

Dean hums, sliding his fingers into her belt loops, spreading his legs, and pulls her to him so she stands in between his legs, "Could've asked for some company?"

Isabeau removes her hands from her pockets, placing them on Dean's shoulders, "As you said, two in the morning, Dearie. You and Sam were asleep."

Isabeau moves her hand to Dean's face, tracing his lips with her finger, "You should've let me come with you. I would've punched the bitch for kissing you."

Dean chuckles, grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on the inside of her wrist, "I love it when you're like this." He sighs, "I pushed her away the second she did that, Beau."

She hums, "I know, it wasn't your fault, Dean." She leans forward, her lips just inches away from his, "But how about you place those beautiful lips on mine?" Isabeau suggests with a smirk.

Dean matches it, "Happy to, sweetheart."

Their lips lock in a passionate kiss, Isabeau's arms wrap around Dean's neck as his hands move to Isabeau's ass, squeezing it as they kiss.

Isabeau moans out as Dean stands up, hooking his arms under her thighs, and lifting her off the ground. Her legs wrap around Dean's waist as he places his hands back on her ass, holding her up as they continue to kiss.

Dean manages to walk over to the backseat door of the impala, opening it with one hand, and holding Isabeau up with one hand while doing so.

He leans down into the back seat, setting Isabeau down, climbing in and shutting the door with them inside. Dean moves straddling Isabeau's waist as he removes his jacket, throwing it off to the side, along with his t-shirt, revealing her toned torso.

While Dean was doing that, Isabeau was removing her own jacket and t-shirt, both articles of clothing flying into the front seat to be found a few hours later. She shivers as the cool night air hits her skin, only the top part of her body covered by her black lace bra.

Dean looks down at Isabeau, as she unbuttons her jeans. "No." He grabs her hands, stopping her. Isabeau looks up at him, breathing deeply, "Dean…" She whispers.

"I want to do it." He leans down, leaving a trail of light kisses from her jawline, slowly making his way down her chest and down her stomach. His fingers work tantalizingly slow at sliding down her jeans; he wanted to take his sweet time with her.

Isabeau sighs blissfully at Dean's kisses and her breath lightly hitches as she feels the cold metal of his necklace touch her bare skin.

"I love you." She breathes out.

Dean moves up, placing a passionate kiss on her lips once more. He whispers three words that were only meant for her, "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp! I'm just gonna place this here and run away. I honestly didn't know how I wanted to go about this episode, but I decided not to put Isabeau with Dean for the reason of hellhounds and that Isabeau can see them. Also, I'm slowly getting comfortable writing more... intimate scenes, not smut level yet, I'm working slowly up to it. I was thinking of publishing another story filled with little behind the scene snippets. Just moments between the three of them that I can't really fit in the episodes or that are not "plot" important. Also maybe even some smut? Let me know what you think and if you would like to read stuff like that.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	19. Croatoan Pt.1

Dean is in a dim hallway, grimly turning towards a door and pulling out his gun. He slides out the clip, taps it on the gun, then replaces it.

Isabeau stands beside him, grabbing his arm, "Dean, think about this."

Dean glances at her, saying nothing.

Inside the room, there is a Crater Lake poster on the wall. Below it is a young blond man tied to a chair. Nearby are two women in scrubs, and a tough-looking black man.

The young blonde man looks up as Dean opens the door and enters, raising the gun. Isabeau is right behind him, frowning at the scene before her.

The young man starts babbling desperately, "No, no, no, no, no, you're not gonna... no, I swear! It's not in me!"

"Oh God. We're all gonna die." The younger woman of the two says in fear.

"Maybe he's tellin' the truth." The man says.

Dean advances cocking his gun, "He's not him, not anymore."

"No, stop it! Stop it! Ask her, ask the doctor! It's not in me!" The young man shouts.

"I just . . . I can't tell." The older of the two women shakes her head.

"No, please, don't. Don't. I swear, I-" The younger man cries.

"I got no choice." Dean says, raising his gun.

The young man sobs, "I swear, it's not in me, it's not in me! Don't, don't. Please!"

"Dean!" Isabeau exclaims.

Dean doesn't listen to any of them and fires twice.

* * *

Sam, who is lying on the floor beside a motel bed, comes out of his vision.

"Sam. Hey…" Isabeau says crouched down beside him and cupping his cheeks with furrowed brows.

The door opens and Dean enters, chewing on jerky and carrying a six-pack of beer. Isabeau helps Sam up as he's panting.

Dean stops in his place, taking the jerky out of his mouth and looks at Sam, worried, "Sam?" He looks at Isabeau for an answer and she just shrugs, just as worried.

"No…" Sam breathes out.

* * *

Dean is driving, Isabeau sits in between him and Sam who is navigating with a GPS device which speaks directions. "Continue on O-R Two-Two-Four West." The GPS speaks.

"There are only two towns in the U.S. named Rivergrove." Sam states.

Isabeau looks over at him, "How come you're so sure it's the one in Oregon?"

Sam has a flashback to the vision; the Oregon poster on the wall, "There was a picture. Crater Lake."

"Okay, what else?" Dean asks.

"I saw a dark room, some people, and a guy tied to a chair." Sam describes.

"And I ventilated him?"

Sam looks over, "Yeah. Isabeau tried to stop you. You thought there was something inside him."

Dean blinks, glancing over, "What, a demon? Was he possessed?"

Sam shakes his head, "I don't know."

Isabeau thinks, "Well, all your visions are always tied to the yellow-eyed demon somehow… So, was there any black smoke? Did we try to exorcise it?" She asks.

"No. Nothing, Dean just plugged him, that's it." Sam answers.

"Well, I'm sure I had a good reason." Dean says.

Sam raises his brows, "I sure hope so."

"What does that mean?" Dean glances over, "I mean, I'm not gonna waste an innocent man." Sam raises his eyebrows again. "I wouldn't!" Dean exclaims.

"I never said you would!" Sam exclaims.

"Fine."

"Fine! Look, we don't know what it is. But whatever it is, that guy in the chair's a part of it. So let's find him, and see what's what." Sam says.

"Fine." Dean answers.

"Fine."

Isabeau stares ahead, rubbing her face. Sometimes her boys were too much.

* * *

The three pull into town past a large billboard advertising Crater Lake. They pull up in front of a wooden shop; out front is an older man cleaning a rifle.

Sam notices him and points, "He was there." Sam, Isabeau and Dean get out and approach him.

"Morning." Dean greets.

"Good morning. Can I help you?" The man, Mark, asks.

"Yeah." Dean pulls out his badge, "Uh, Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Daniel Mitchell. U.S. Marshals." Sam and Isabeau pull out their own badges.

"What's this about?" Mark asks.

They put their badges away. "We're looking for someone." Isabeau states.

"A young man, early twenties." Sam says, "He'd have a thin scar right below his hairline."

"What'd he do?" Mark asks.

"Well, nothing. We're actually looking for someone else, but we think this young man could help us." Sam explains.

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, he's not in any kind of trouble or anything; well, not yet." He glances down at Mark's left arm, which shows a distinctive tattoo, "I think maybe you know who he is... Master Sergeant."

Dean smiles, "My dad was in the Corps, he was a Corporal."

Mark smiles, "What company?"

Dean nods, "Echo-2-1."

Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, "So can you help us?"

Mark hesitates, "Duane Tanner's got a scar like that. But I know him. Good kid, keeps his nose clean."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. Um. You know where he lives?" Dean asks.

"With his family, up Aspen Way." Mark points in the opposite direction.

"Thank you." Dean says and Isabeau and Sam say their own thank yous'.

They leave and Mark frowns as he watches them go. Across the street, Isabeau bumps into a telephone pole and glances at it in passing. She stops; carved into the wood is a single word: CROATOAN.

They approach the pole and Isabeau points at the word with a significant look, "Hey."

"Croatoan?" Dean questions and Sam's eyes widen.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah."

Dean looks at her and Sam blankly.

Sam huffs, "Roanoke? Lost colony? Ring a bell? Dean, did you pay any attention in history class?"

"Yeah! Shots heard 'round the world, How bills become laws…" Dean trails off.

Sam gives him a look, "That's not school, that's Schoolhouse Rock."

Dean shrugs, "Whatever."

Isabeau sighs, "Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s?"

Dean remembers, "Oh yeah, yeah, I do remember that. The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan."

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. And I mean, there were theories; Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone. I mean, wiped out overnight."

Dean scoffs, and looks at Sam who nods at Isabeau's words, "You don't think that's what's going on here, I mean…"

"Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good. But what do you think could do that?" Sam asks.

Dean sighs, "Well, I mean, like Isabeau said, all of your weirdo visions are always tied to the yellow-eyed demon somehow, so…"

"We should get help. Bobby, uh, Ellen? Maybe, Bartholmieu and Yvette can help?" Sam asks.

Dean and Isabeau nod. "Yeah, that's a good idea." Dean says and begins walking, Sam and Isabeau follow.

He pulls out his cell phone, then frowns at it, "I don't have a signal." He stops.

Sam and Isabeau do the same, stopping and taking out their phones. Sam shakes his head, "I don't either."

"Three for three." Isabeau comments, frowning at her phone.

They walk to a pay phone, which Dean picks up and dials out the 'out of service' beep. Dean clicks the receiver several times, "Line's dead."

He hangs up, "I'll tell you one thing. If I was gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step."

* * *

The impala is parked outside a cabin, and Sam, Isabeau and Dean approach the front. By the door is a small, tacky plaque that reads 'BORN TO FISH; FORCED TO WORK'.

Sam knocks on the door, and a teenaged boy with dark spiked hair, Jake, opens it, "Yeah?"

Isabeau flashes her badge, "We're looking for Duane Tanner. He lives here, right?"

Jake nods, "Yeah, he's my brother."

"Can we talk to him?" Isabeau asks.

"Oh, he's not here right now."

Dean nods, "Do you know where he is?"

"Yeah, he went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake." Jake says.

"Your parents home?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, they're inside."

"Jake? Who is it?" A man, Mr. Tanner, asks from inside.

Mr. Tanner comes to the door. "Hi, U.S. Marshals, sir, we're looking for your son Duane." Dean says.

"Wh-why? He's not in trouble, is he?" Mr. Tanner asks.

"No, no, no, no. We just need to ask him a couple of routine questions, that's all." Dean says.

"When's he due back from his trip?" Sam asks.

Mr. Tanner winces, "I'm not sure."

"Well, maybe your wife knows." Sam suggests.

Mr. Tanner looks back into the house briefly, "No, I don't know, she's not here right now."

Isabeau tilts her head, "Your son said she was."

"Did I?" Jake asks. Isabeau narrows her eyes at them, something wasn't right here.

Mr. Tanner chuckles, placing a hand on his son's shoulder, "She's getting groceries. So, when Duane gets back, there's a number where he can get a hold of you?"

"Oh no, we'll just check in with you later." Dean smiles.

The three turn and walk down the steps as the Tanners shut the door behind them.

"That was kind of creepy, right? A little too Stepford?" Dean asks.

"Yep." Isabeau agrees.

"Big time." Sam agrees as well.

Looking furtively about, they sneak around to the back of the house, crouching below a window.

Inside the Tanner house, the mother, Beverly Tanner is tied to a chair and gagged. Jake comes around behind her, hands on her shoulders, "It's okay, Mom. It's not gonna hurt."

Mr. Tanner comes out of the next room with a kitchen knife. Jake stands in front of his mother and casually rolls up one sleeve, his father cuts into his arm and lets the blood drip onto a wound in Beverly's shoulder.

Outside, Sam, Isabeau and Dean arm themselves and Dean kicks down the back door. As they rush in, handguns raised, Mr. Tanner rushes at them with a knife.

"Put it down!" Sam shouts as Isabeau and Dean both shoot Mr. Tanner in the chest.

Jake jumps out the window, shattering glass, and darts off into the woods. Sam aims at him through the window but hesitates, giving him time to get away.

* * *

Beverly is in the back seat of the impala with Isabeau. They pull up in front of the clinic and Isabeau helps Beverly out and leads her to the door with Sam. Dean opens the trunk and looks around.

The two lead Beverly inside; the clinic is quiet, dim, and empty. "Hello? Hello? We need a doctor here!" Sam calls out

A young woman, Pam, rushes out, concerned, "Mrs. Tanner, what happened?"

"She's been attacked." Isabeau says.

"Doctor Lee?" Pam calls out.

Dr. Lee rushes in, "Bring her in."

"Okay." Sam says as he and Isabeau guide Beverly.

Pam leads them into a back room, and Dr. Lee follows. Dean enters, carrying the canvas-covered body of Mr. Tanner hoisted over his shoulder, "Hey."

Dr. Lee turns to him, "Is that-"

"Mr. Tanner?" Dean finishes.

"Was he attacked too?" Dr. Lee asks.

"Uh . . . no, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot." Dean tells her.

"Shot?"

"Yeah."

"And who are you?" Dr. Lee asks.

"U.S. Marshal. I'd show you my badge, but uh…" Dean indicates Mr. Tanner's body.

Dr. Lee nods, "Oh, Sorry. Bring him back here."

* * *

Beverly is seated on a stool with her shoulder exposed. Dr. Lee sits across from her, treating the wound on her left shoulder, "Wait, you said Jake helped him? Your son Jake?" Dr. Lee asks.

Beverly nods, "They beat me. Tied me up."

"I don't believe it." Pam says, standing off to the side.

"Pam." Dr. Lee holds a hand up to her, "Beverly . . . do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?" She asks Beverly.

"No, of course not. I don't know why. One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them." Beverly explains.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are listening to this, and they share a look at her last words. "We gotta talk." Dean tells Isabeau and Sam.

They exit the lab and into another room. "Those guys were whacked out of their gourds." Dean says.

"What do you think? Multiple demons, mass possession?" Sam asks.

Dean shrugs, "If it is a possession there could be more. I mean, God knows how many, it could be like a friggin' Shriner convention."

Sam sighs, "Great."

Dean nods, "Of course, that's one way to wipe out a town, you take it from the inside."

Isabeau shakes her head, "I don't know. We didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr. Tanner, or any of the other usual signs."

"Well, whatever. Something turned him into a monster." Dean says and turns to Sam, "And you know if you woulda taken out the other one there'd be one less to worry about."

"I'm sorry, all right? I hesitated, Dean, it was a kid!" Sam says, annoyed.

Dean shakes his head, "No, it was an 'it'. Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam." Dean says.

Isabeau shakes her head at him, shoving her hands into her pockets.

Dr. Lee stalks out of the lab, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.

"How's the patient?" Isabeau asks.

"Terrible! What the hell happened out there?" Dr. Lee asks.

Dean shakes his head, "We don't know."

"Yeah? Well, you just killed my next door neighbor."

"We didn't have a choice." Dean defends.

Dr. Lee nods, "Maybe so, but we need the county Sheriff. I need the coroner…"

"Phones are down." Sam says.

"I know, I tried. Tell me you have a police radio in the car?" Dr. Lee asks.

"Yeah we do. But it crapped out just like everything else."

Dr. Lee huffs, "I don't understand what is happening."

Dean asks, "How far is it to the next town?"

"It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder." She answers.

"All right, I'm gonna go down there, see if I can find some help." Dean claps Sam and Isabeau on their shoulders, "My partners will stick around, keep you guys safe." Dean starts to walk out.

"Safe from what?" Dr. Lee asks.

Dean looks back at them, "We'll get back to you on that."

* * *

Sam is leaning against a counter, staring at the body of Mr. Tanner. Isabeau herself is standing next to Mr. Tanner's body, staring down at him.

Sam pushes off the counter to stand next to Isabeau, his hand sliding underneath the back of her shirt, and caressing her skin.

Isabeau leans into his side with a sigh, her hand moving to the very same thing to Sam.

Dr. Lee is nearby, looking at something in a microscope, "Huh."

"What?" Sam asks as he and Isabeau look over.

Dr. Lee looks away from the microscope, "His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection."

"Really?" Isabeau asks, "What kind of virus?"

Dr. Lee shakes her head, "Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could have made him act like that?" Sam asks.

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood." Dr. Lee says.

"Did what?"

"There's this . . . weird residue. If I didn't know better I'd say it was sulfur." Dr. Lee answers.

Isabeau glances down at Mr. Tanner's body, "Sulfur." She looks up at Sam who seems just as worried as she is.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are staring intently at Beverly, still huddled on the stool in the lab. "I don't understand. Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?" Beverly asks.

Dr. Lee nods, "That's what we're trying to find out. Now, during the attack, do you remember… did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?" Beverly asks.

"Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample." Dr. Lee says.

Beverly nods and lays her hand gently on Dr. Lee's. Suddenly she grabs Dr. Lee's wrist and yells in rage, lashing out with her other hand.

Isabeau's eyes widened while Sam advances on her and she tosses him against a glass cabinet, which shatters.

She picks up a scalpel and she advances on him, still yelling.

Isabeau picks up a fire extinguisher and comes up behind Beverly, swinging it at her head, knocking her out. Isabeau pants staring down at Beverly's unconscious form, "You good, Stretch?" She asks Sam.

Sam chuckles, "Yeah. I'm good, Beau. Thanks."

Isabeau shrugs, "No problem."

* * *

Dr. Lee is again looking through the microscope while Pam huddles against the far wall, "What if we all have it? What if we all go crazy?" She asks, panicked.

Dr. Lee looks over at her, "You've got to stay calm. All we can do is wait. The Marshal's bringing help."

Isabeau and Sam look over, listening to the conversation.

"I can't, I… I've got to go." Pam moves to leave the room.

"Pam!"

Pam turns to them, "No, you don't understand. My boyfriend's out there, I gotta make sure he's okay."

She hurries out of the lab, and Sam and Isabeau follow her all the way to the lobby.

"All right, wait, wait. Please. Look, I know you're upset, all right? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming." Sam explains.

The impala pulls up outside. Isabeau points to the outside, "There they are."

"Sammy? Beau? Open up!" Dean shouts from outside.

Sam and Isabeau go to open the door to let in Dean and Mark; both are still armed.

"Did you guys, uh, get to a phone?" Sam asks, closing the door and locking it.

"Road block." Dean tells them. "I'm gonna have a word. Doc's inside." He tells Mark and Mark heads in.

"What's going on out there, Dean?" Isabeau asks.

Dean shakes his head, "Sweetheart, I don't know, I feel like Chuck Heston in the Omega Man, I mean, Sarge is the only sane person I could find. What are we dealing with, do you know?"

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. Doc thinks it's a virus."

Dean nods, "Okay, great. What do you two think?"

Sam and Isabeau exchange a look. "We think she's right." Sam says.

"Really?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. And we think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The uh, the virus? Leaves traces of sulfur in the blood." Sam explains.

"A demonic virus?"

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare. At least it explains why I've been having visions." Sam says.

"It's like a Biblical plague." Dean comments.

Isabeau nods, pulling out her grimoire, the one that once belonged to her father and starts flipping through it, "Yeah. You don't know how right you are, Dean. We've been poring through my Dad's grimoire and found something about the Roanoke colony."

"And?" Dean asks her.

Isabeau sighs, "Where is it? Ah! Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Daeva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence." She explains.

Dean shakes his head, "Well, that, that's terrific. Why here, why now?"

Isabeau shuts her grimoire, putting back inside her jacket while Sam speaks, "I have no idea. But Dean, who knows how far this thing can spread? We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people."

"They've got one! In here!" Mark shouts.

The three enter the main waiting room where Mark is. "What do you mean?" Dean asks.

"The wife. She's infected." Sam tells him.

"We've gotta take care of this. We can't just leave her in there. My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get." Mark says.

Dean barely hesitates before pulling out his gun and stalking into the lab.

* * *

"You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?" Pam asks with everyone now in the lab.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment? Some kind of cure for this?" Sam asks. Dr. Lee flustered, doesn't answer.

"Can you cure it?" Dean asks.

"For God's sake, I don't even know what 'it' is!" Dr. Lee exclaims.

"I told you, it's just a matter of time before she breaks through." Mark adds in.

"Just leave her in there, you can't shoot her like an animal!" Pam exclaims.

"Sam. Isabeau." Dean says.

They go to the door of the utility room, where Beverly is being held. Dean and Mark hold their guns ready while Sam carefully opens the door, holding Isabeau behind him with one arm. Isabeau gives Sam a look for that.

Dean and Mark take up offensive positions. Inside, Beverly is huddled on the floor, knees drawn up. She jumps at their approach, "Mark, what are you doing? Mark, it's, it's them! They locked me in here, they, they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!"

"You sure she's one of 'em?" Dean asks Sam and Isabeau.

Sam nods, his face twisted in distress. Isabeau nods as well, frowning, "Yeah."

As Mark pulls back, near tears, Dean steps forward and fires twice.


	20. Croatoan Pt.2

The shades are drawn, and Mark peers through them cautiously. A few people are gathered outside.

Behind him, Sam pulls out a hunting knife and checks the blade as Dean loads a gun. Isabeau props her right foot up on a chair, strapping on her gun holster to her thigh, sliding in her gun and doing the same thing with the other thigh.

Sam and Isabeau exchange a look and both glance at Dean worried. Isabeau shakes her head, and sighs, looking through the rest of the weapons.

In the lab, Pam has just dropped a vial of blood and she screams, "Oh god! Is there any on me? Am I okay?"

"You're clean, you're okay." Dr. Lee reassures. Sam, Isabeau and Dean run in at the commotion.

"Why are we staying here? Please, let's just go!" Pam begs.

"No, we can't, because those things are everywhere." Dean says.

Pam sinks down, "Oh god…"

"Hey, shh, shh." Dr. Lee tries to calm Pam down.

Sam turns to Dean, Isabeau and Mark, speaking quietly, "She's right about one thing. We can't stay here. We've gotta get out of here, get to the Roadhouse? Somewhere. Let people know what's coming."

"Yeah, good point. Night of the Living Dead didn't exactly end pretty." Dean jokes.

"Well, I'm not sure we've got a choice. Lots of folks up here are good with rifles- even with all your hardware we're, we're easy targets. So unless you've got some explosives." Mark informs them.

Isabeau glances up at a shelf of medical supplies and gets an idea. She smirks, "We could make some."

She goes to the shelf and takes down a bottle of Potassium Chloride. Just then, someone starts pounding frantically on the front door. The boys and Isabeau run out.

"Hey! Let me in, let me in! Please!" A man shouts from outside.

"It's Duane Tanner!" Mark tells them. He opens the door and lets Duane in.

He has a backpack and is limping, "Thank god."

Duane breathes heavily as him and Mark walk back into the waiting room. "Duane, you okay?" Mark asks him.

Dean leans over, "That's the guy that I, uh…" He clicks tongue, making a throat slash gesture.

Sam nods, "Yeah."

"Who else is in here?" Duane asks, taking a step forward.

Dean grabs his arm, "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief. Hey Doc! Give Duane a good once-over, would you?"

Dr. Lee leads the group into the lab, "Pam?"

"Who are you?" Duane asks Dean.

"Never mind who I am. Doc." Dean gestures to Duane who takes off his backpack and takes a seat.

Dr. Lee glances back, "Yeah, okay."

"Duane. Where you been?" Mark asks.

"I was on a fishing trip up by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon. I... I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know! They started cutting him with knives! I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mom and dad?" Duane asks urgently.

Dean turns to Sam and Isabeau, attempting a joking tone, "Awkward…" Isabeau gives him a look, smacking his ass as a warning. Dean looks at her in surprise as Sam bites back his lip from laughing.

Isabeau's eyes follow Dr. Lee's and see that Duane's left leg has a deep gash in it. "You're bleeding." Dr. Lee points out.

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asks as everyone in the room shifts uncomfortably.

Duane looks up at Dean, "I was running, I must have tripped."

Dean nods at Mark, "Tie him up, there's rope in there." Mark moves to get the rope at Dean's words.

"Wait-" Duane stands up.

Dean immediately pulls his gun on Duane, "Sit down!"

"I'm sorry, Duane, he's right. We've gotta be careful." Mark says.

Mark steps out of the room for a moment to get the rope. "Careful? About what?" Duane asks, confused.

Isabeau takes a breath, "Did they bleed on you?" She asks.

"No, what the hell? No!" Duane exclaims.

"Doc? Any way to know for sure, any test?" Sam asks Dr. Lee.

"I've studied Beverly's bloodwork backwards and forwards." She says.

Duane turns to her, "My mom!"

Dr. Lee glances at him, "It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so... no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns."

"Dean, I gotta talk to you. Now." Sam says, grabbing Isabeau's hand.

Dean glances at Mark, who nods. With that, Dean, Isabeau and Sam leave the lab.

"Sit in that chair over there." Mark orders Duane and he follows his order.

* * *

The three walk into another room. "This is my vision, guys. It's happening." Sam tells them as Dean puts his gun away.

"Yeah, I figured." Dean says.

"You can't kill him, all right? Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not." Sam shakes his head.

Dean nods, "Well, I think we're pretty damn sure. Guy shows up out of nowhere, he's got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected?"

Isabeau huffs, "All right, then we should keep him tied up, and we should wait and see."

Dean furrows his brows at her, "For what? For him to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance."

He starts to push past Sam, who stops him with a hand on his chest.

Dean shakes his head, "Hey look, man, I'm not happy about this, okay? But it's a tough job and you know that."

"It's supposed to be tough, Dean." Isabeau points out, "We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the whole point."

"What does that buy us?"

"A clear conscience, for one!" Sam exclaims.

"Well, it's too late for that." Dean tries to brush past again.

Sam stops him, "What the hell's happened to you?"

"What?"

Isabeau shakes her head and walks out of the room. She couldn't believe any of this. She leans against the wall, listening to their conversation.

"You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care! You don't act like yourself anymore, Dean. Hell, you know what? You're acting like one of those things out there." Sam says.

Dean hums, "Mm-hmm."

Dean pushes past Sam a third time. Sam tries to stop him again, but hurls him against the far wall. He goes back into the hall and locks the door behind him. Isabeau pushes off the wall, "Dean?"

"Hey!" Sam exclaims, rattling the lock, "Open the damn door, Dean! Don't do it, Dean! Don't! Beau! Stop him!"

Dean grimly turns towards the lab door and pulls out his gun. He slides out the clip, taps it on the gun, then replaces it.

Isabeau stands beside him, grabbing his arm, "Dean, think about this."

Dean glances at her, saying nothing.

Inside the room, there is a Crater Lake poster on the wall. Below it Duane is tied to a chair. Pam, Dr. Lee and Mark stand nearby.

Duane looks up as Dean opens the door and enters, raising the gun. Isabeau is right behind him, frowning at the scene before her.

Duane starts babbling desperately, "No, no, no, no, no, you're not gonna... no, I swear! It's not in me!"

"Oh God. We're all gonna die." Pam says in fear.

"Maybe he's tellin' the truth." Mark says.

Dean advances cocking his gun, "He's not him, not anymore."

"No, stop it! Stop it! Ask her, ask the doctor! It's not in me!" Duane shouts.

"I just . . . I can't tell." Dr. Lee shakes her head.

"No, please, don't. Don't. I swear, I-" Duane cries.

"I got no choice." Dean says, raising his gun.

Duane sobs, "I swear, it's not in me, it's not in me! Don't, don't. Please!"

"Dean!" Isabeau exclaims.

Dean points the gun at Duane with his finger hovering over the trigger. Duane sobs and the others watching in tense silence.

Dean trembles, hesitates, and finally lowers the gun with a grimace, "Damn it!"

Duane pants in relief as Dean leaves the room, grabbing Isabeau's hand to bring her along with him.

"Dean, what the-" Isabeau starts, but Dean cuts her off, pulling her into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

Isabeau could feel Dean shaking against her. Isabeau's face falls and she moves her arms to wrap around his own torso, squeezing it, "I got you."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam are preparing explosives with rags and glass bottles. Isabeau suddenly snorts.

Dean and Sam look up at her, "What?" They ask in unison.

Isabeau smiles, pointing at them, "First of, love it when you two do that." A hint of a smile appears on both brothers' faces. "And second," She shrugs, lowering her voice so that Mark couldn't hear her, "I wonder how big of an explosion I make with my fire. Kind of wanna test it out."

Sam shakes his head, "If you weren't a fire elemental, I swear you'd be a pyromaniac." He jokes.

Isabeau raises a brow at him, ready to defend herself but then stops realizing he would be a hundred percent right. She frowns a little, "You win this time, Stretch."

Dean leans over pressing a quick kiss to her temple, "Not to mention with your little lightning powers added to the mix."

Isabeau thinks to herself, and smirks briefly at the thoughts running through her head. She shakes her head, getting back to the task in front of her.

Dr. Lee enters, hands in her pockets, "It's been over four hours. Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right."

Sam and Dean share a look. Sam nods, and Dean lowers his head. "Sure. Yeah." Sam says and Dr. Lee leaves.

"You know I'm gonna ask you why." Sam says.

"Yeah, I know." Dean says, picking up one of the glass bottles.

"So why? Why didn't you do it?" Sam asks.

Dean glances up at him, "We need more alcohol."

Isabeau looks back and forth between the two brothers. She gets up, walking toward the dispensary. Sam stares at Dean for a second, sighs and gets up, following Isabeau.

They go into the dispensary and Pam is already there. "How you holding up, Pam?" Isabeau asks as her and Sam walk to the far side of the room.

"Good. It'll all be over soon." Pam says. She shuts the door and locks it. Sam and Isabeau, with their backs turned, don't notice.

The two turn around, stopping in front of Pam. "In fact, I've been waiting for this the whole time." She says.

"For what?" Sam asks.

"To get you two alone." She lashes out and knocks both of them to the ground. Isabeau slams her head hard, rolling over to the side to cradle it as it throbs. Pam straddles Sam's chest and hits him, hard, across the face.

Outside the room, Dean and Mark hear the commotion and arm themselves. Pam has a scalpel in one hand, which she slices across Sam's chest and then across her own palm, placing her wound over his.

Isabeau looks over, hearing Sam's groans. She narrows her eyes at Pam and suddenly, Pam is thrown across the room, and into the cabinets like a rag doll. Isabeau's head throbs even more and she hers a loud ringing in her ears.

Pam struggles to get back up as Dean kicks the door open and shoots her three times in the chest. She convulses and falls to the floor.

Sam reaches out a hand to Dean, who starts to lean over to take it, but Mark pulls him back, "She bled on him. He's got the virus."

Sam pulls his hand back, realizing it's true. Dean, stunned, looks from Sam to Pam, lying on the floor away from him.

With a groan Isabeau stands, pulling herself with help from the shelving unit next to her. "Beau? You all right?"

Isabeau's face scrunches in pain as Dean's voice rings loudly in her ears. She looks up at him, never really focusing on him as her vision was blurred, "I'm… fine."

Her eyes roll to the back of her head and before she could crumble to the ground unconscious, Dean runs up and catches her, "Isabeau!" He exclaims.

* * *

Sam is now sitting on a stool next to one of the examination tables in the lab. His hand brushes through Isabeau's hair, as she lays unconscious on the table, and has a bandage pressed to his chest with his other hand.

His eyes are down, and he's near tears. The others surround him and Isabeau, Dean pacing angrily, "Doc, check his wound again, would you?" Dean stops to stand in front of Sam, glancing down at Isabeau. He looks at Dr. Lee, "Doctor!"

"What's she need to examine him for? You saw what happened." Mark says and Dean looks over.

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Dr. Lee asks.

"Come on, of course it did!" Mark shouts.

"We don't know that for sure." Dean says.

"We can't take a chance." Duane adds.

"You know what we have to do." Mark says.

Dean glares at him, "Nobody is shooting my brother."

"He isn't gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself." Duane shouts.

"Nobody is shooting anyone!"

"You were gonna shoot me!"

Dean points at Duane, "You don't shut your pie-hole, I still might!"

Sam looks up at his brother, "Dean, they're right. I'm infected. Just give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

"Forget it."

Sam shakes his head, "Dean, I'm not gonna become one of those things."

"Sam, we've still got some time-"

"Time for what?" Mark asks. "Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this." Mark pulls out his handgun.

"I'm gonna say this one time - you make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? I mean, do I make myself clear?!" Dean shouts.

"Dean!" Sam shouts.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Mark shouts.

Dean tosses Mark his keys, "Get the hell out of here, that's what. Take my car. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You two go with him. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"What about you?" Mark asks. Dean looks at Mark and realization slams into place.

"Dean, no. No." Sam says and Dean looks over. Sam nods his head towards the others, "Go with them. This is your only chance!" He glances down at Isabeau, "This is her only chance."

Dean smiles, "You're not gonna get rid of us that easy. And you know Isabeau. She wouldn't leave without you."

"No, he's right. Come with us." Mark begs. After a moment of Dean not answering, he nods, "Okay, it's your funeral."

He leads Duane and Dr. Lee out the door. Dr. Lee turns to them, "I'm sorry. Thanks for everything, Marshals."

Dean shakes his head, "Oh, actually we're not really Marshals."

"Um. Oh." She nods, leaving, and Dean shuts the door behind her. He turns slowly to face Sam, who starts to cry. "Wish we had a deck of cards, or a foosball table or something." Dean attempts a joke with a bitter chuckle.

He comes over to the examination table, looking down at Isabeau and caresses her forehead with his thumb. Dean wished so much that Isabeau was awake for this. She would be able to talk some sense into Sam and maybe even figure this out.

"Dean, don't do this. Just get the hell out of here with Isabeau." Sam begs.

Dean glances up, "No way."

Sam bites his lip, stopping himself from sobbing, "Give me my gun, and leave."

"For the last time, Sam. No." Dean shakes his head, walking to the other side of the room.

Sam slams his broken hand on the table in anger, making sure to avoid Isabeau, "This is the dumbest thing you've ever done."

Dean purses his lips, "Oh, I don't know about that."

Tears fell down Sam's face, "Dean, I'm sick. It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you." He holds Isabeau's limp hand in his broken one, "It doesn't have to be for Isabeau."

"No?" Dean asks.

"No, you can keep going." Sam says.

"Who says I want to?"

Sam stares at Dean, "What?"

Dean crosses to the other wall and pulls a handgun out of his waistband before sitting on the file cabinet, "I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life... this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it."

"So what, so you're just going to give up? You're just gonna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know this stuff with Dad has-"

Dean shakes his head, "You're wrong. It's not about Dad. I mean, part of it is, sure, but…"

"Then what is it about?" Sam asks.

Dean doesn't say anything. He looks over at Isabeau, who still through all of this, hasn't woken up yet, "You know she wouldn't leave you?"

Sam shakes his head, "Dean, don't change the subject."

Dean raises a brow at him, "You know she would fight me, tooth and nail, to stay here with you. She would never leave us. Even if it meant putting herself in harm's way."

Sam bites his lip. He knew that if Isabeau was awake, she would be doing everything she could to figure out a solution to this, "I know." Deep down, all of them were tired.

They hear a noise outside and a moment later there's a knocking on the door. Dean picks up both handguns and crosses to it, seeing Dr. Lee standing there. He opens the door.

"You'd better come see this." Dr. Lee tells them.

* * *

All five survivors, with the exception of Isabeau still inside, are standing just outside the clinic and everything else in sight is deathly silent.

"There's no one. Not anywhere. They've all just... vanished." Dr. Lee says.

* * *

The next morning, Dr. Lee is looking through the microscope and Sam is seated on a stool, next to the exam table were Isabeau still lays. Sam looks at her worried, it's been almost a full day and she still hasn't woken up.

According to Dr. Lee, all of her vitals were fine. Dean and Sam concluded themselves that it was because Isabeau's power over telekinesis was growing. Isabeau said it herself that when her power grows, it takes a lot out of her. The brothers only hoped that she would wake up soon.

Dr. Lee turns to Sam, "Well, it's been five hours and your blood's still clean. I don't understand it, but I think you dodged a bullet."

"But I was exposed. How could I not be infected?" Sam asks.

Dr. Lee shakes her head, "I don't know. But you're just not. I mean, you compare it with the Tanner samples…" She looks through another microscope, "What the hell?"

"What?"

"Their blood. There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur, nothing." Dr. Lee explains.

* * *

Mark and Duane are loading up a truck while Dr. Lee stands in the doorway of the clinic, "Hey, the Sarge and I are getting the hell out of here, heading south. You should come." Duane says.

"I'd better get over to Sidewinder, get the authorities up here. If they'll believe me. Take care." Dr. Lee waves them goodbye.

Mark waves to her and to Dean and Sam, who are leaning against the impala. Isabeau is laid out in the backseat of the impala, with Dean's leather jacket crapped on top of her that Dean pulled out from the trunk.

Dean nods his head to Sam, "What about him?"

Dr. Lee turns to him, "He's going to be fine. No signs of infection."

Dr. Lee goes back inside as Mark and Duane pull away in the truck.

Dean turns to Sam. Sam sighs, "Hey man, don't look at me. I got no clue."

Dean shakes his head, "I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one. I mean, why here, why now? And where the hell did everybody go? It's like they just friggin' melted."

"Why was I immune?" Sam asks.

Dean points at him, "Yeah. You know what? That's a good question. You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away?"

They get in the car and pull away from town.

* * *

The impala is parked by the side of a road, overlooking a river. Dean and Sam lean against a fence, drinking beer. They look over seeing Isabeau walking down a dock a little ways away from them.

She was thankful that she didn't wake up with a headache, but when she was told what happened at the clinic while she was unconscious, she said she needed a little time alone to think.

Sam takes a sip of his beer from his spot, sitting on the fence, "So. Last night. You want to tell me what the hell you were talking about?"

Dean looks over, "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Sam asks, recalling Dean's words, "I mean you said you were tired of the job. And that it wasn't just because of Dad."

"Forget it."

Sam shakes his head, "No, I can't. No way."

"Come on man, I thought we were all going to die, you can't hold that over me." Dean says.

"No, no, no, no. You can't pull that crap with me, man. You're talking."

Dean smiles, "And what if I don't?"

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep asking until you do." Sam says.

Dean scoffs, "I don't know, man. I just think maybe we ought to... go to the Grand Canyon." Dean looks over with a smile, seeing if Sam likes the idea.

Sam furrows his brow, "What?"

"Yeah, you know, all this driving back and forth across country, you know I've never been to the Grand Canyon? Or we could go to T.J. Or Hollywood, have some fun with Isabeau?" Dean suggests.

Sam shakes his head, "You're not making any sense."

Dean shrugs, "I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit?"

"Why are you saying all this?"

Dean shakes his head, turning away.

Sam stands up from his spot, "No, no, no, no, Dean. You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit."

Dean turns around to face him, "I can't. I promised."

"Who?" Sam asks.

"Dad."

"What are you talking about?"

Dean looks down, "Right before Dad died, he told me something." He takes a breath, then looks at Sam, "He told me something about you."

"What? Dean, what did he tell you?" Sam asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly my favorite episode and I was kind of having a tough time fitting Isabeau in with it for some odd reason. Over all Season 2 isn't exactly my favorite season. It's a good season just low on my personal favorite list. I think that's why I'm having a little bit of a tough time with writing it. But, nonetheless it got it out, I'm happy with what I have and I hope you guys like it too. Also, there might not be a constant upload sometime in the future, just because I'm in the process of moving into my new house that needs a lot of work done. So, I'm going to work my hardest to get majority of the season done before that happens... hopefully... maybe... not sure. Don't quote me on this.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	21. Hunted Pt.1

* * *

_**Previously on Supernatural…** _

_Dean shrugs, "I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit?"_

" _Why are you saying all this?"_

_Dean shakes his head, turning away._

_Sam stands up from his spot, "No, no, no, no, Dean. You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit."_

_Dean turns around to face him, "I can't. I promised."_

" _Who?" Sam asks._

" _Dad."_

" _What are you talking about?"_

_Dean looks down, "Right before Dad died, he told me something." He takes a breath, then looks at Sam, "He told me something about you."_

" _What? Dean, what did he tell you?" Sam asks._

"He said that he… wanted me to watch out for you… to take care of you." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "He told you that a million times."

Dean looks down, "No, this time was different. He said that I had to… save you."

"Save me from what?" Sam asks.

Dean shakes his head, "He just said that I had to save you, that nothing else mattered and that if I couldn't, I'd…"

"You'd what, Dean?" Sam scoffs.

"That I'd have to kill you." Dean says and Sam's brow furrows in confusion.  
He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy."

Sam blinks, "Kill me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know." Dean whispers out.

"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right?" Sam asks desperately, stepping closer, "Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go Darkside or something?! What else did he say, Dean?" Sam shouts.

From the dock, Isabeau looks over, not being able to fully hear their conversation. Isabeau press her lips into a thin line in worry.

"Nothing, that's it, I swear." Dean shakes his head.

"How could you not have told me this?!" Sam shouts.

"Because it was Dad, and he begged me not to."

"Who cares?! Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me! Hell, you had no right to keep this from both of us!" Sam briefly points over to Isabeau.

Dean licks his lips, "You think I wanted this? Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day!"

Sam turns and takes a few steps away, fuming, "We've just got to figure out what's going on, then, what the hell all this means."

Dean turns to him, "We do? I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. It'd be safer. And that way I can make sure-"

"What?" Sam lets out a bitter laugh and a smile to go with it, "That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?"

"I never said that."

"Jeez, if you're not careful you will have to waste me one day, Dean." Sam nods.

"I never said that!" Dean shouts, "Damnit, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right? You're immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore."

Sam says nothing, looking away from his brother, drinking his beer. Dean shakes his head, "And you're pissed at me, I get it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

"Forget it." Sam growls out.

"Sam, please, man." Dean pats Sam's arm, making his brother face him, "Hey, please. Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you here, please. Please." Dean begs.

Sam nods reluctantly, "Better call Isabeau over." He says directing the conversation.

Dean looks down briefly before both brothers turn their attention to Isabeau.

She's turned her head away from both of her boyfriends, having heard their conversation and frowning at the lake in front of her. Isabeau winces when she hears a small ringing in her ear, "What?"

* * *

" _Hello, princess." A man greets little 5-year-old Isabeau as she happily skips into his outstretched arms._

_She giggles as the man lifts her up in his arms, "Hi Uncle, I missed you."_

* * *

Isabeau blinks as a memory from when she was little comes and goes.

As far as she knew, she only had one Uncle, and that was Uncle C. But two times now, she's remembered two different men that she has called uncle.

* * *

Sam leaves a motel room alone, a bag over his shoulder. He walks quietly past the impala to a small black car.

He opens the door with a coat hanger, looks around, and gets in, shutting the door.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Sam jumps at the voice and then sighs in relief when he sees who's in the passenger seat next to him, "Jesus christ, Beau."

Isabeau raises her brow at him with a small smirk and her arms crossed, "Sneaking out Sam?"

Sam sighs, "Isabeau-"

She holds her hand up, stopping him, "No I am not going back to the motel room, no matter what you say. I'm coming with you."

He stares at her for a second and shakes his head, "Thank you."

Isabeau shrugs, "You are one of my boyfriends, Sam. Plus, a little peeved at Dean right now. But, you need answers, so, I'm gonna help."

Sam chuckles, leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the lips. Isabeau smiles as he pulls away, "Let's get to it, Stretch."

Sam hot wires the car and drives away.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are standing outside a dark house, Sam holding a piece of motel stationery from The Blue Rose Motel, with an address written on it.

They approach the house cautiously.

Sam nods at Isabeau who returns the gesture, placing her hand on an exposed electrical wire. Her eyes glow a light violet before she turns into a bolt of electricity, flowing into the wiring.

Sam looks though one of the boarded up windows, looking around. He moves to the door, picking the lock and enters; the house is dark.

As he passes through the doorway he trips a wire at floor level, which triggers a grenade.

It explodes and he screams.

"Sam!" Isabeau's scream echoes and Sam's smoking boots dissolves into a flash of light.

* * *

Ava, a young woman wakes up from the vision/nightmare, gasping. The man behind her stirs, "Hey, honey?"

"Huh?" She looks over, "Oh."

"You okay?" The man asks.

"No, I just had another nightmare. It's fine, it's nothing. Just go back to sleep." Ava ressures him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." She lies down again, still panting.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau enter the Roadhouse, and heads turn. Ellen is behind the bar, and looks up as they approach. She smiles knowingly, "Sam. BoBo."

Isabeau gives her a small wave and a smile.

"Hey, Ellen." Sam grins sheepishly, "You don't seem that surprised to see us."

"Well, your brother's been calling, worried sick, looking for you two." Ellen tells them. Isabeau winces. She felt bad for not telling Dean she went with Sam.

"Yeah. Figured he might."

"What's going on between you two?" Ellen asks. She glances at Isabeau who just shrugs. If Sam wanted to tell Ellen, then she was going to let him make that decision.

Sam frowns, "So, um, how's Jo?" He asks, avoiding the question.

Ellen nods, "Well, I don't really know."

Isabeau tilts her head, confused, "What do you mean?"

Ellen frowns a little, "I thought you knew?"

Isabeau shakes her head at her godmother. She still kept in touch with Jo here and there, but Jo never really told her the details of what she was up to.

"Well, I haven't seen her in weeks. She sends a postcard now and again." Ellen tells them.

Sam leans against the bar, "Well, what happened?"

Ellen sighs, "Well, after she worked that job with you three she decided she wanted to keep on hunting. I said, 'not under my roof', and she said, 'fine'."

Sam sighs, "So we're probably the last people you want to see right now."

Ellen gives a throaty chuckle, "Oh, don't get me wrong. I wish I could blame the hell out of you three. It'd be easier. Truth is, it's not your fault. Sam. BoBo. None of it is."

Ellen looks over at Isabeau with a smile, "Get over here, BoBo. I've missed my goddaughter."

Isabeau smiles, running around the side and behind the bar, giving Ellen a strong hug, "Missed you too."

The two pull away and Ellen turns to address Sam, ""I want you to know that I forgave your daddy a long time ago for what happened to my Bill. I just don't think he ever forgave himself." "

Sam shakes his head, "What did happen?"

Ellen pats Isabeau's arm and shakes her head, "Um, so, why did you come here, sweetie?" She asks him.

"I need help." Sam says.

* * *

Ellen, Isabeau and Sam are talking to Ash, who is looking around furtively. "What am I looking for, Sam?" Ash asks.

"Other people, other psychics, like me. As many as possible, and I need a nationwide search." Sam says.

"But I thought there was no way to track them all down. Not all of them had nursery fires like you did." Ellen says.

Isabeau sighs, speaking up, "Well, no, but some had to. Start there." She tells Ash.

* * *

Isabeau fiddles with her rosary as she leans back against the bar, next to Sam as he sips on his beer.

Ash emerges from his back room with a piece of paper in his hand. He gives it a flourish, "Done, and done."

"That was fast." Sam says, setting down his beer.

Ash sits at the bar on the other side of Sam, "Well, apparently, that's my job. Make the monkey dance at the keyboard."

"Just tell us what you got, Ash." Ellen says, walking behind the bar.

"Four folks fit the profile nationwide. Born in '83, mother died in a nursery fire, the whole shebang." Ash explains.

Isabeau furrows her brow, "Four? That's it?"

Ash nods, "Sam Winchester from Lawrence, Kansas, Max Miller from Saginaw, Michigan, Andrew Gallagher from Guthrie, Oklahoma, and uh, another name. Scott Carey." Ash sets down the paper and Sam grabs it.

"You got an address?" Sam asks.

Ash sighs, "Kind of. The Arbor Hill Cemetery in Lafayette, Indiana. Plot four-eighty-six."

"So he's dead?"

"Killed, about a month ago."

"Killed how?" Isabeau asks.

"Stabbed." Ash looks over at her, "Parking lot. Fuzz don't have much, no suspects."

Sam takes one last sip of his beer, "All right. Thank you."

He nods at Isabeau and as he gets up to leave, Ash slaps him on the back. When the two are out of eyeshot, Ash picks up Sam's half-full beer and starts drinking it.

"Where are you going?" Ellen asks them.

Isabeau glances at her, "Indiana."

"Isabeau?" Ellen stops Isabeau and Sam in their tracks, "I've gotta call Dean, I've gotta let him know where you are."

Isabeau sighs, glancing at Sam and turns to her godmother, "Ellen. We're trying to find answers about Sam… Maybe even find out what this thing wants from me in the process."

Sam places a comforting hand on Isabeau's shoulder, looking at Ellen, "And my brother means well, but he can't protect us from that. Please."

Ellen sighs and nods reluctantly.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are sitting with Scott's father in his living room, talking. "So you say you went to high school with Scott?" Mr. Carey asks Sam and Isabeau.

"Uh, yes sir, we did. We just heard about what happened, We're so sorry." Isabeau gives her condolences.

"Scotty was a good boy. He changed a lot since you knew him." Mr. Carey tells them.

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

Mr. Carey sighs, "It started about a year ago with these headaches. And then he got depressed, paranoid, nightmares."

Sam and Isabeau exchange a knowing look, "Nightmares? Um, did he ever talk to you about his nightmares? What he saw, or?" Sam asks.

Mr. Carey shakes his head, "No, no. He closed up with me. I tried to get him help, but nothing took. He'd just lock himself in his room for days."

Isabeau bites her lip, "You think maybe we could see his room?"

* * *

Sam and Isabeau poke around Scott's room. The room contains a bare bed with a sleeping bag, some bookshelves covered in books and cassette tapes. On the bedside table Sam sees several bottles of pills, prescribed by Dr. George Waxler. Sam looks behind him, then pockets one bottle.

Isabeau opens Scott's closet and shoves aside the clothes to reveal a collage of yellow eyes cut out of photos or magazines, glued to the wall. Her eyes widened, "Sam… You gotta see this."

"What?" He comes over and they both stare at the collage.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau walk across the parking lot of the Blue Rose Motel. As they get to the door Isabeau senses that they're being followed.

She turns and grabs the figure behind her, shoving the person against the wall. Sam stands behind Isabeau, watching.

"Who are you?" Isabeau asks.

Ava gasps, "Please!" She begs Isabeau and looks over at Sam, "You're in danger."

* * *

Sam and Isabeau watch as Ava paces, talking somewhat frantically, "Okay, look, I know how all this sounds, but I am not insane and I am not on drugs. Okay? I am normal, and this is way, way off the map for me."

Sam raises his hand, "All right, all right, just, just calm down. Okay? What's your name?"

"Ava." She answers.

Isabeau tilts her head, "Ava?" She purses her lips; one of her girls in her coven was named Ava.

"Ava Wilson."

Sam nods, "Ava, I'm Sam Winchester, all right? And this is my girlfriend, Isabeau Fitzgerald." Isabeau gives a little wave while Sam continues, "Now, you were telling us about these dreams of yours?"

Ava winces, "Uh, yeah, uh, okay, about a year ago I started having these, like, headaches, and just, nightmares, I guess. And I really didn't think much of it until I had this one dream where I saw this guy get stabbed in a parking lot."

"When was this?" Sam asks.

"Uh, about a month ago. But, anyway, a couple of days later, I found this." She pulls out a newspaper clipping and hands it to Sam; it reads 'LOCAL MAN STABBED TO DEATH IN PARKING LOT' next to a picture of Scott Carey. Sam takes the clipping and Isabeau leans over to look at it.

"I saw this guy die, days before it happened. I don't know why, I don't know, it's just for some reason, my dreams are coming true. And last night I had another one." Ava says.

Sam nods, "Okay."

"About you. I saw you die." Ava tells Sam.

Isabeau runs a hand over her face, "How did you find us?" Sam reaches his hand over, his hand, sliding underneath the back of her shirt and rubbing her skin.

Ava stutters, "Oh, uh, Sam had motel stationery, and I Googled the motel, and it was real, and so I just thought that I should warn him. I saw you too, Isabeau. Though I'm confused about what I saw you do."

Isabeau tilts her head at Ava's last sentence.

Sam scoffs, "I don't believe this."

Ava looks away, "Oh, oh, of course you don't. You think I'm a total nutjob." She turns away from them, defeated.

"Wait, no, no, no, I mean, you must be one of us." Sam glances at Isabeau, "Well, me."

Ava looks back at them, "Sorry, one of, one of who?"

Sam shakes his head, "One of the Psychics. Like me. Look, Ava, I have visions too, all right? So we're connected."

Ava laughs, "Okay, so, you're nuts. That's great." Ava looks at Isabeau, "You too?"

Isabeau waves her hands, "Sorry, something entirely different."

Before Ava could ask what she meant, Sam asks her a question, "Okay, okay, look. Did your mother happen to die in a house fire?"

"No, my mother lives in Palm Beach!" Ava exclaims.

"So you don't fit the pattern either." Isabeau points out, sharing a look with Sam.

Ava frowns at them in confusion.

* * *

Dean is driving alone, his cell phone rings and he picks up, "Hello?"

"It's Ellen." Ellen says on the other line.

"Hey, have you heard from Sam and Isabeau?" Dean asks.

"I have, but they made me promise not to tell you where they are." Ellen answers.

"Come on, Ellen, please. Something bad could be going on here, and I swore I'd look after that kid. And I can't lose Isabeau, not again." Dean begs.

"Now Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever." Ellen pauses, "Well, I say screw that. What else is family for? They're in Lafayette, Indiana."

"Thanks." Dean hangs up.

* * *

"Why can't you just leave town? Please? Before you blow up?" Ava asks, sitting across from Isabeau and Sam.

Sam shakes his head, "No, I can't."

"Oh, god. Why not?" Ava groans.

"Because there's something going on here, Ava. With you, with me. I mean, there are others like us out there. And we're all a part of something, and I've got to figure out what." Sam takes Isabeau's hand, squeezing it, "And Isabeau is involved. We don't know why or how, but…"

Isabeau sighs, "I need some answers too. So I'm sticking around."

"Okay. you know what? Screw you, buddy. Okay?" Ava points at Sam, standing up from her spot, "Because I'm a secretary from Peoria and I'm not part of anything! Okay? Do you see this?"

She fingers her engagement ring, "I am getting married in eight weeks. I am supposed to be at home addressing invitations, which I am way behind on, by the way. But instead, I drove out here to save your weirdo ass. But if you just want to stay here and die, fine. Me? I'm due back on Planet Earth."

Ava grabs her bag, walking toward the door.

"Don't you want to know why this is happening?" Sam asks, both him and Isabeau turning to Ava, "I mean, don't these visions scare the hell out of you? Because if you walk out that door right now you might never know the truth."

Ava turns around and Isabeau gets up from her spot, crossing her arms, "We need your help."

* * *

Ava is sitting in Dr. Waxler's office in a therapy session, to cover for Isabeau's mission of covert theft.

"So, Ms. Wilson, you're new in town." Dr. Waxler asks.

Ava nods, "That's right."

"And what made you decide to seek out therapy?"

Ava shakes her head, "I have no idea."

"No?" He asks.

"No. I mean, I'm feeling really super anxious right now." Ava says nervously.

Dr. Waxler nods, "Okay, anything else?"

"Um... " Ava sees Isabeau inching by on the window ledge outside, "Holy crap!"

"What?" Dr. Waxler turns to the window as a few pigeons fly off.

"I just remembered, when I was a kid, I swallowed like, eight things of pop rocks and then drank a whole can of coke, you don't think that that counts as a suicide attempt, do you?" Ava asks and Dr. Waxler stares at her.

* * *

Ava and Isabeau return to the motel room with Scott's files. Sam stands from the table where he was waiting and gives Isabeau a quick kiss on the temple before opening the files.

Ava breathes heavily, stunned.

Sam glances up at her, "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Ava turns around.

Sam nods, "Yeah."

"I just helped you and Isabeau steal some dead guy's confidential psych files. I'm awesome!" She smiles, proud of her accomplishment.

Isabeau chuckles at Ava, amused. She liked this girl.

* * *

The voice recorder is sitting on the table, next to the open file folder about Scott Carey. A record from the therapy session is playing. "It started a little over a year ago. Migraines, at first. Then I found I could do… stuff." Scott's voice says.

"What do you mean, do stuff?" Dr. Waxler asks.

"I have this ability. When I touch something, I can electrocute it if I want." Sam and Isabeau exchange a look, and Isabeau fiddles with her rosary.

* * *

Dean pulls into the parking lot in the impala. When he sees Sam through the window of his room, he sighs in relief, "Oh, thank god you're okay." He then furrows his brow; but where was Isabeau?

Sam moves aside, revealing Ava standing next to Isabeau through the window. Dean smiles when he sees Isabeau, "Thank god."

* * *

The recording continues; Sam is leaning over the table, looking more concerned as Isabeau bites her lip.

"What else does the yellow-eyed man say?" Dr. Waxler asks.

"He has plans for me. He says there's a war coming. That people like me, we're going to be the soldiers. Everything's about to change." Scott answers.

A couple of seconds pass, "He also said…" Scott pauses, "That there's a woman that he wants me to find. He wants her. He _needs_ her." The recording ends.

Isabeau frowns at the recording as Sam looks at her. Was Scott talking about her? Why did the demon want Isabeau so badly?

"He's not talking about us, right?" Ava asks.

"Yeah, I think he is." Sam says, walking over to Isabeau's side.

"Well… But how can we turn into that?"

Sam sighs, "I don't -

The window above Sam and Isabeau's head shatters as it's hit with a bullet. He dives to the floor with Ava and Isabeau, shielding their bodies with his.

"Get down!" He shouts.

"Oh my god!" Ava cries.

Isabeau pants, "What the shit?"

* * *

Across the street, Gordon is on a rooftop with a sniper rifle; he continues to take aim and fire at the motel room.

* * *

"What's happening?" Ava asks.

"I don't know." Sam grunts.

Isabeau lifts her hand, directing the bullet in the opposite direction of Sam.

* * *

As Gordon is about to take another head-shot at Sam, but Dean jumps him from behind, "Gordon!"

Dean kicks Gordon hard, then pins him down on his back, hitting him over and over again in the face. He grabs him by the collar, "You do that to my brother and girlfriend, I'll kill you!"

"Dean, wait." Gordon begs. Dean punches him a few more times, but Gordon manages to grab the rifle and slam it into Dean twice, knocking him out.

Gordon stands over Dean, panting and gushing blood from his lip.


	22. Hunted Pt.2

Isabeau steps onto the roof with Sam and Ava behind her to investigate the roof from which Gordon was shooting at them.

"Wait, I don't understand. Shouldn't we be talking to the cops?" Ava asks.

Sam glances over at her, "Trust me, that wouldn't do us much good" He picks up a shell, "These are .223 caliber. Subsonic rounds."

Sam tosses the shell to Isabeau who catches it with one hand. She looks down at it in her hand, "The guy must have put a suppressor on the rifle." She adds.

"Dude, who are you guys?" Ava asks.

Sam shakes his head, chuckling, "Oh. I just, uh, I just watch a lot of 'TJ Hooker'."

Isabeau snorts at Sam, pocketing the shell and pulls out her cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Ava asks.

"My other boyfriend, his brother." Isabeau says and Ava looks at her surprised. Isabeau shrugs at her, not really caring what Ava thought of the relationship, "I think we definitely need help."

* * *

Inside an abandoned cabin, Dean is tied to a chair, and Gordon is holding the phone to his ear, "Hello?" Dean answers.

"Dean!" Isabeau exclaims.

"Isabeau, I've been looking for you and Sam." Dean tells her.

Isabeau sighs, "Yeah, sorry about that. Look, we're in Indiana, uh Lafayette."

"I know."

Isabeau frowns, "You do?"

"Yeah, I talked to Ellen. Just got here myself. It's a real funky town. You ditched me, Sweetheart." Dean says.

Isabeau's eye twitches, "Yeah, I'm sorry. Look, right now there's someone after us."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know, that's what we need to find out. Where are you?" Isabeau asks.

"I'm staying at, uh, 5637 Monroe St. Why don't you meet me here?" Dean asks.

Isabeau swallows, "Yeah. Sure." She hangs up.

* * *

Gordon hangs up the phone, "Now, was that so hard?"

"Bite me." Dean says.

* * *

Isabeau is putting her phone away, and she looks up at Sam, worried.

"What is it?" Ava asks, concerned.

"My boyfriends' in trouble." Isabeau answers.

"What?"

Isabeau huffs, "Funky town, Sam." She tells him.

Sam huffs, now just as worried as Isabeau, "He gave us a codeword. Someone's got a gun on him." Sam says as Isabeau pulls out a pad of stationary from the motel room, writing down the address Dean told her. She hands it to Sam.

"Codeword?" Ava asks.

Sam nods, "Yeah," He points at Isabeau, taking the stationary, "Like she said, 'Funky town'." He pauses when Ava gives them a look, "Well, he thought of it. It's kind of a… long story. I... come on."

* * *

Gordon has his back to Dean as he opens a canvas bag and starts pulling out weapons.

"So Gordy. I know me, Isabeau and Sam ain't exactly your favorite people, but don't you think this is a little extreme?" Dean asks.

"Oh, you think this is revenge?" Gordon asks, loading a gun.

"Well, we did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days." Dean laughs, "Which was awesome. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh."

Gordon nods, "Yeah. I was definitely planning on whuppin' your ass for that."

Dean hums, "Mm-hmm."

"But that's not what this is. This isn't personal. I'm not a killer, Dean. I'm a hunter. And your brother and girlfriends' fair game."

He loads another gun as Dean stares at him, shocked.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Ava approach her blue VW beetle. "I don't think I should leave." Ava says.

"We want you out of harm's way, Ava." Isabeau tells her.

Ava looks at the two, "What about you?"

"Harm's way doesn't really bother us." Sam tells her.

Ava stops turning to them, "No, but you are walking right into my vision. I mean, this is how you die." She looks at Isabeau, "And you, don't you want to stop that from happening?"

Isabeau bites her lip, "Of course I do, but…" She shares a look with Sam, "But it doesn't matter. It's my other boyfriend and his brother. I wouldn't be able to stop Sam from doing this no matter how hard I try."

"Maybe I could help!" Ava suggests with a smile.

Sam shakes his head, "You've done all you can. Just, just go back to your fiance."

Ava turns around to her car, "Are you sure?"

Isabeau nods, opening Ava's door, "Yes, we're sure. Go home, Ava. You'll be safe there."

Ava gets in her car and Isabeau closes the door for her, "Well, just... promise me you'll call, then. I mean, when you get your boyfriend and his brother, just to let me know that everything's all right."

Sam smiles weakly, wrapping an arm around Isabeau, "We promise."

* * *

Gordon is leaning against a pillar, cradling a rifle and speaking casually, "See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana. Teenage girl. It seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between all the jabbering and the head-spinning, the damn thing muttered something. About a coming war. And I don't think it meant to, it just kind of slipped out. But it was too late. Piqued my interest. And you can really make a demon talk, you got the right tools."

"And what happened to the girl it was possessing?" Dean asks.

"She didn't make it."

Dean shakes his head, "Well, you're a son of a bitch."

Gordon stares, stands, and slaps him, "That's my momma you're talking about."

Gordon holds up a finger, continuing, "Anyway. This demon tells me there are soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side. You believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans, but still. What kind of worthless scumbag have you got to be to turn against your own race?"

Dean glares at him.

"But you know the biggest kick in the ass?" Gordon asks, "This demon said I knew one of them. Our very own Sammy Winchester."

Dean chuckles, "Oh, this is… this is a whole new level of moronic, even for you."

Gordon smiles, "Yeah? Come on, Dean. I know. About Sam's visions. I know everything."

"Really? Because a demon told you?" Dean laughs, "Yeah, and it wasn't lying."

"Hey, Dean. I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place."

Gordon crosses to the corner and sits, "About a month ago I found another one of these freaks here in town. He could deep-fry a person just by touching them."

"Yeah, did he kill anyone?" Dean asks.

"Well, besides Mr. Tinkles the cat? No. But he was working up to it. They're all gonna be killers, Dean. We've got to take them all out. And that means Sammy too." Gordon cocks the rifle.

"You think Sam's stupid enough to walk through that front door?" Dean glares at him.

"No, I don't. Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him through Isabeau. Ha. You really think I'm that stupid?"

Dean raises his eyebrows meaningfully; Gordon stands and starts pacing, "No. Sammy's going to scope the place first, see me covering the front door. So he's going to take the back. And when he does he'll hit the tripwire. Then-" He takes a grenade from his bag, "Boom."

Dean shakes his head, "Sam's not gonna fall for a friggin' tripwire."

"Maybe you're right. That's why I'll have a second one." Gordon pauses, walking over to Dean, "Hey, look. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, I really do. But for what it's worth, it'll be quick."

Dean's jaw clenches.

Gordon then chuckles, "And I almost forgot… Isabeau."

"You do anything to her and I swear-"

Gordon chuckles again, "Oh, I'm not gonna kill her… not yet anyways. You see, Isabeau intrigues me. A hybrid; half witch, half fire elemental. Though now fire and lightning?"

Dean glares at him as he takes a seat, "You see that demon also told me something else. It told me about Isabeau. How she's special, no demon can kill her or make deals with her because their boss told them not to. Interesting, don't you think? Why does hell want to keep her alive?"

"I find it even more interesting that you and your brother knew what Isabeau was and you never once hunted her." Gordon pauses, "Though I can see why. Isabeau is one of a kind among hunters and the supernatural. Again, it's a shame. I really liked her."

* * *

Night falls and Gordon is setting up the tripwire across the back doorway. He returns to the room where Dean is tied up and straddles a chair.

Dean looks back at him, "Come on, man. I know Sam, okay, better than anyone. He's got more of a conscience than I do, I mean, the guy feels guilty surfing the Internet for porn. And Isabeau, she's good Gordon, she fights for humanity, she kills her own kind to keep people safe."

"Maybe you're right. But one day he's going to be a monster. And if she's not taken care of, Isabeau might become one too." Gordon says.

"How? Huh? How's a guy like Sam become a monster? Isabeau's got the biggest heart out of all of us, she's nowhere near being a monster." Dean defends.

"Beats me. But he will and so will Isabeau."

"No, you don't know that!" Dean shouts.

Gordon looks over at Dean, "I'm surprised at you, Dean. Getting all emotional. I'd heard you were more of a professional than this. Look, let's say you were cruising around in that car of yours and, uh, you had little Hitler riding shotgun, right? Back when he was just some goofy, crappy artist. But you knew what he was going to turn into someday. You'd take him out, no questions, am I right?"

"That's not Sam or Isabeau." Dean grunts out.

Gordon places a hand on Dean's shoulder, "Yes it is. You just can't see it yet. Dean, it's his destiny. Might be Isabeau's too. Look, I'm sympathetic. He's your brother and she's your girlfriend, you love them. This has got to hurt like hell for you."

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a scarf, stands, "But here's the thing." He gags Dean with the scarf, "It would've wreck them. But your dad? If it really came right down to it, he would have had the stones to do the right thing here. But you're telling me you're not the man he is?"

Dean glares furiously at him.

"Then again, he let Isabeau go in the first place. Maybe he was blinded, just like you."

* * *

Sam and Isabeau approach the cabin, Sam holding up the sheet of motel stationery.

Isabeau and Sam share a knowing look and Isabeau's eyes glow a light violet. Isabeau turns into a bolt of lightning, flowing into exposed electrical wire.

Sam looks through the boarded up window and sees Dean, and Gordon, then runs around back. He tries the door and finds it locked, so he pulls out his lockpick and works it open.

* * *

The clicks from the door can be heard in the front room and Dean looks around wildly. "Ya hear them?" Gordon asks.

In the back room, Sam gets the door open and creeps in.

"Here they come."

Dean flinches helplessly as the first grenade explodes. He screams at Gordon through his gag.

"Hold on. Not yet. Just wait and see." Gordon says calmly.

As the second grenade goes off, Dean struggles violently, choke-sobbing through the gag. Gordon crosses the room and stops beside him, "Sorry, Dean."

He goes into the back room, rifle ready. He sees Sam's smoking boots on the ground, just like in Ava's. He smiles, but is still wary.

As he turns away from the back door, Sam raises a gun to the back of Gordon's head and cocks it, "Drop the gun." Sam warns.

"Shouldn't take your shoes off around here. You might get tetanus." Gordon says.

"Put it down now!"

In the front room, Dean turns, hearing Sam's voice, and grunts in relief.

Out back, Gordon slowly lowers the rifle to the floor, "You wouldn't shoot me, would you, Sammy? Because your brother, he thinks you're some kind of saint."

"Yeah? Well, I wouldn't be so sure." Sam says.

"See, that's what I said." Gordon turns quickly, knocking the gun out of Sam's hand and attacks him methodically until he goes down.

In the front room, Dean hears the scuffle and struggles against the ropes, groaning in frustration. A small crackle of lightning stops Dean from struggling.

He looks over to an exposed wire as little tendrils of lightning emit from it. A larger bolt of lightning flares out from the wiring and Isabeau reforms into her original form in a crouched position.

Dean grunts out in relief to see Isabeau. She looks up at him and hushes him, putting a finger to her kips, her eyes still glowing a light violet. She moves slowly to the back as Gordon and Sam fight, unaware of her presence.

Gordon slowly approaches Sam, who's flat on his back, coughing. Gordon pulls out his knife, "You're no better than the filthy things you hunt."

As Gordon raises the knife, Isabeau lashes out, pulling Gordon away from Sam. Gordon whips around, punching Isabeau once and then a second time, before she grabs both of his hands that are trying to hit her.

She glares at him as blood pours from her busted lip and nose, "Don't you ever fuck with my boyfriends." She throws Gordon over her shoulder, and straddles him. She punches him twice, then gets up, grabbing the rifle and points it at his head.

Gordon stares up at her glowing eyes, "Do it. Do it! Show your boyfriends the killer you really are, Beau."

Isabeau hesitates, then slams the butt of the rifle into Gordon's head, knocking him out.

She fumes, eyes glowing brighter, "It's Isabeau."

* * *

Isabeau throws the rifle off to the side and helps Sam up. Sam shuffles exhausted into the room with the help of Isabeau to where Dean is tied up. Dean looks up emotionally as he watches Sam and Isabeau approach.

Sam claps him on the shoulder as he and Isabeau kneel beside him, untying the ropes. Dean pulls off his own gag frantically, stands, and pulls Sam up to standing, grabbing Isabeau as well.

He cups his hand around Sam's neck, staring at him closely, cataloging his injuries, and Sam nods at him.

Dean looks at Isabeau, cupping her cheek with one of his hands softly, staring at her closely as well, taking in her injuries which weren't as bad as Sam's, but still worrisome. Isabeau smiles at him, reassuring him that she was fine.

Sam claps a hand to Dean's shoulder and Dean wheels around to head to the back room, "That son of a…"

"Dean. No." Sam stops him.

Dean turns, "I let him live once. I'm not making the same mistake twice."

Isabeau snorts and then winces because it hurts, "Trust me. Gordon's taken care of. Come on."

Sam reaches out and fists Dean's jacket, pulling him towards the front door.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean walk, well Sam staggers, down the steps from the cabin and away from it.

Moments later Gordon emerges, a gun in each hand, and begins firing. Sam, Isabeau and Dean duck and run for cover.

"Come on!" Dean shouts as they run, "You call this taken care of?"

They dive into a ditch by the side of the road and huddle, watching him approach, "What the hell are we doing?" Dean pulls Isabeau into his chest, blocking her from any possible openings.

"Just trust us on this, all right?" Sam begs.

As Gordon approaches, three police cars, sirens blaring, pull into the clearing and surround Gordon. Cops emerge, weapons ready, "Drop your weapons! Get down on your knees!"

"Do it, now!" Another cop shouts.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean grin at each other as Gordon drops to his knees and glares in their direction.

"Put your hands on your head. Easy now." The second cop orders.

The cop cuffs Gordon and pats him down, then leads him to a squad car. Another opens the back door of Gordon's red car and pulls out the weapons rack.

Isabeau licks her lips with a smug smile, "Anonymous tip." She pops the 'p' at the end with a small giggle.

"You're fine upstanding citizens, you two." Dean says, smiling at the both of them.

* * *

Inside Harvelle's Roadhouse, Ellen is on the phone, talking to Dean and keeping her voice down, "Gordon Walker was hunting Sam and Isabeau?"

* * *

On the side of the road, Dean is on the phone, outside while Sam and Isabeau are in the car, looking at Sam's own cellphone.

"Yeah, he almost killed us all because somebody over there can't keep their friggin' mouth shut." Dean exclaims, pissed.

"And you honestly think that it was me? Or Ash? Or Jo? No way." Ellen firmly says.

"Well, who else knows about Sam and Isabeau, huh?" Dean turns to look at them in the car, "I mean, you must have been talking to somebody."

"Hey, you can say a lot of things about us. But we are not disloyal. And we're not stupid. We haven't breathed a word of this. And that's also my goddaughter you're talking about, Dean. I would never, ever put her in harm's way." Ellen tells him.

"Gordon said he had Roadhouse connections, Ellen."

Ellen glances over at some of the hunters sitting at the bar, "And this roadhouse is full of other hunters. They're all smart. They're good trackers. Each of them with their own patterns and connections. Look, hell, I could name twelve of them right now that are capable of putting this together."

Ellen sighs, "I am sorry about what happened, Dean. But I can't control these people. Or what they choose to believe."

* * *

Dean is driving down the road while Sam is talking on his phone, "Hey, Ava, it's Sam. Again. Um, call me or Isabeau when you get this, just want to make sure you got home okay. All right. Bye."

Dean glances over, "Everything all right?"

"Yeah, I hope so." Sam says, hanging up.

"Well, Gordon should be reaching for the soap for the next few years at least." Dean says with a grin.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. If they pin Scott Carey's murder on him. And if he doesn't bust out."

Dean squeezes Isabeau's thigh with his hand that was resting there and glances over, "Dude, you ever take off like that again…"

"What? You'll kill me?" Sam asks with a smile. Isabeau rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"That is so not funny." Dean groans.

Sam laughs, "All right. All right. So where to next, then?"

"One word: Amsterdam." Dean says with a smile.

"Dean!" Isabeau warns.

Dean squeezes her thigh again, "Come on, sweetheart, I hear the coffeeshops don't even serve coffee."

"I'm not just gonna ditch the job." Sam says.

"Screw the job. Screw it, man, I'm sick of the job anyway. I mean, we don't get paid, we don't get thanked. The only thing we get's bad luck. Isabeau's the one good thing that's ever come out of it." Dean exclaims.

A small smile makes its way onto Isabeau's face by Dean's last sentence. The same was for her. She was lucky to have her coven and her boys because of hunting.

Sam hesitates, "Well, come on, dude, you're a hunter. I mean, it's what you were meant to do."

Dean shakes his head, "Ah, I wasn't meant to do anything, I don't believe in that destiny crap."

"You mean you don't believe in my destiny?"

"Yeah, whatever."

Sam sighs, "Look, Dean, I've tried running before. I mean, I ran all the way to California and look what happened. You can't run from this. And you can't protect me."

Dean looks at him, "I can try."

"Thanks for that." Sam says quietly and Dean nods.

"Look, Dean, I'm gonna keep hunting. I mean, whatever is coming, I'm taking it head-on, so if you really want to watch my back, then I guess you're gonna have to stick around." Sam says.

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Morons."

They all grin. Sam throws an arm over Isabeau's shoulder, "And what about?"Sam asks.

Isabeau hums, "Wherever you guys go, I'll be happy to follow. Besides, I still have questions that need answers, but I will figure them out with my two, beautiful and hot boyfriends. As long as they have my back?" She asks with a smile.

Sam chuckles, pulling her closer as Dean's hand raises a little higher on Isabeau's thigh, "Beau, we'll have your back and be with you to the ends of the earth." Sam says.

After a beat, Isabeau frowns and picks up her phone.

"You calling that Ava girl again? Be careful, Sweetheart, you're gonna make us jealous." Dean teases.

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "She's engaged, Dean. If I wanted some girl on girl action, coven is on speed dial."

Dean purses his lips with a small smirk. Girl on girl action, huh?

Isabeau hangs up, scowling in thought.

Dean looks over at her, "What?

Isabeau bites her lip, "Just a feeling. How far is it to Peoria?"

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean break and enter Ava's house, with flashlights lighting their way. "Hello? Is anybody home?"Sam calls out.

They go into the bedroom to find Ava's fiance dead, face-up on the bed; his shirt and the sheets are soaked in blood.

Isabeau covers her mouth in shock, "Oh my god."

Dean runs a finger along the windowsill, staring at the powdery substance collected there, "Hey." Sam and Isabeau turn and Dean holds up his fingers, "Sulfur. Demon's been here."

Sam sees something on the floor and kneels, picking it up. It is Ava's engagement ring, "Ava." He whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this done! Thank god. I'm very excited for the next episode "Playthings". I'm going to have so much fun writing that. It's honestly one of my favorite episodes from season 2. Also, I don't know if you saw it yet, but I put out a new story called "Everything In-Between (Party of Three Snippets)". These are just a collection of short little drabbles that take place either in between episodes or during episodes throughout the series and it will be updated a little slower than the actual series itself. Please go check it out!
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	23. Playthings Pt.1

Isabeau runs her fingers through her hair as she stares at the motel walls; they are covered in maps, hand-written notes, and a MISSING poster showing Ava's face.

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Ellen." Sam hangs up his phone while sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop open.

Dean walks into their room, " What'd she have to say?"

Sam glances over, "Oh, she's got nothing. Us, We've been checking every database I can think of- federal, state, and local. No one's heard anything about Ava, she just... into thin air, you know?"

"Huh." Dean hands over one of the two cups of coffee he's carrying to Sam. He then walks over to Isabeau as she turns around, handing her a cup of tea.

"What about you?" Isabeau asks as Dean places a kiss on her temple.

Dean shakes his head, "No, same as before. Sorry, guys." Him and Isabeau walk over to Sam.

"Ellen did have one thing." Sam says.

Dean hums, "Hmm?"

Sam clicks his tongue, "A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut. Two freak accidents in the past three weeks."

"Yeah? What's that have to do with Ava?" Dean asks, walking over to one of the motel beds. Isabeau stays, leaning against the table with a raised brow while she sips her drink.

"It's a job. I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub; then a few days ago a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty. Which isn't exactly normal, you know?" Sam explains. Dean nods, thinking and takes off his jacket.

Sam looks at Isabeau and she just shrugs, "It's something. Why not?"

Sam nods and then looks back at Dean, "Look, I don't know, Dean, it might be nothing, but I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out."

"You did?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. You seem surprised."

Dean takes a seat on the edge of the bed, "Well yeah, it's just, you know. not the, uh, patented Sam Winchester way, is it?"

"What way is that?" Sam says, mildly challenging.

"Oh boy." Isabeau barely whispers out to herself, taking another sip of her tea.

"I just figured after Ava there'd be, uh, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows, and-"

Sam and Isabeau give him a look. Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, I'll shut up now." He moves to lay on the bed and lean back against the headboard with his coffee.

Sam gets up from his spot, walking out of the kitchen, "Look. Isabeau and I are the ones who told her to go back home. Now her fiancé's dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where. You know?"

Sam stops at the other bed, sitting down, facing toward Dean, "But we've been looking for a month now, and we've got nothing. So…" He exchanges a look with Isabeau, "We're not giving up on her, but we're not going to let other people die either. We've got to save as many people as we can."

Dean nods, "Wow. That attitude is just way too healthy for me, and I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you."

Sam ducks his head and laughs. Isabeau, in the kitchen, chuckles.

"All right, call Ellen. Tell her we'll take it." Dean says.

"I got it." Isabeau comments, walking over to her boyfriends. She pulls out her phone while laying down on Dean's bed sideways, her head dangling off the edge in front of Sam.

She clicks the buttons on her phone a couple times before pressing it to her ear. Isabeau smiles as Sam smiles down at her, running his fingers through her hair dangling off the bed.

"Harvelle Roadhouse." Ellen answers on the other line.

"Hi Ellen." Isabeau greets.

Ellen smiles on the other line, happy to hear her goddaughter, "BoBo, what's up?"

"You know that case in CT you talked to Sam about?"

"Yeah?"

Isabeau smiles, "We'll take it."

* * *

The roads are wet and the air misty as Sam, Isabeau and Dean park the impala in front of the inn. Sam and Isabeau get out on the passenger side while Dean gets out of the driver's side, "Dude, this is sweet. I never get to work jobs like this."

"Like what?" Sam asks as Isabeau hands him his own bag and she grabs hers from the backseat.

Dean grabs his own bags, "Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, and secret passageways... sissy British accents. Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside." He closes his eyes briefly, "Mmm, Daphne. Love her."

Isabeau wacks his arm and in response, Dean wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him, "Don't worry, sweetheart. You're way better than Daphne."

Isabeau laughs, "Of course I am. No offense to Daphne, but, uh, no thank you on playing the always damsel in distress. Though I will say, Velma and Shaggy were my first cartoon crushes." She says with a smile and Dean returns it, placing a light kiss on her lips.

As they go up the steps, Sam notices an urn on the side of the porch, "Hey, wait a sec."

Dean and Isabeau turn around while Sam inspects the urn more closely, "I'm not so sure haunted's the problem."

Isabeau and Dean walk over to the urn as well, "What do you mean?" Dean asks.

"You see this pattern here?" Sam asks, tapping a five-point symbol engraved in the urn, "That's a quincunx, that's a five-spot."

"Five-spot." Dean repeats.

"Yeah." Sam affirms.

"That's used for hoodoo spellwork, isn't it?" Dean asks.

Isabeau nods, "Right, yeah. You fill this thing with bloodweed and you've got a powerful charm to ward off enemies."

Dean looks around, "Yeah, except I don't see any bloodweed. Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, whitemeat for hoodoo?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Maybe."

* * *

As they enter, looking around at the quiet interior, Susan, the owner, enters briskly. "May I help you?" She asks.

"Hi, yeah, I'd like a room for a couple of nights." Dean says, holding Isabeau's hand as they walk to the desk.

As Sam moves in, Tyler darts in front of his legs, chased by Maggie, who runs behind him.

"Hey!" Susan calls out then turns to Sam, "Sorry about that."

Sam shakes his head, standing next to Isabeau, "No problem." His broken hand reaches down to grab Isabeau's other hand s Dean let hers go to sign the guest book.

"Well, um, congratulations, you could be some of our final guests." Susan says.

Isabeau blinks, "Well, sounds vaguely ominous." She jokes and Sam and Dean give her a small smile.

"No, I'm sorry, I mean we're closing at the end of the month." She appraises them, "Well, let me guess. You guys are here antiquing?"

Isabeau's eyes widened, understanding the meaning of her question. Her lip trembles as she forces herself not to burst out laughing. I mean, her implication wasn't exactly wrong, but it was hilarious the way she asked.

Dean shares a 'why not?' look with Sam, "How'd you know?"

Isabeau closes her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. This was absolutely funny as shit. She couldn't believe that her boyfriends didn't catch on to Susan's implication.

Susan gives him a knowing smile, "Oh, you just look the type."

Dean looks vaguely uncomfortable.

"So, uh, king-sized bed?" Susan asks and Dean's eyes widened. Dear lord have mercy on Isabeau's soul cause she was ready to fall to the floor in a heep of giggles.

"What? No, uh, no, we're, we're... two singles. We're just brothers." Sam shakes his, trying to clear the situation.

Susan looks back and forth between Sam and Dean, "Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry." Susan's gaze lands on Isabeau, not knowing how she fit in with the brothers.

Isabeau smiles, sending Susan a wink, "I'm an _antiquer._ "

Sam gives her a look before looking back at Susan with a smile. Isabeau lightly hits Sam as his hand disappears behind her, squeezing her ass in warning.

Isabeau just smiles; she was having too much with this.

"What'd you mean that we look the type?" Dean asks, curious of Susan's assumptions.

Susan has trouble articulating an answer.

Deciding not to torture her boyfriends even more, Isabeau directs the conversation to a different topic, "You know, speaking of antiques, you have a really, really interesting urn on the front porch. Where did you get that?"

Susan shakes her head, "Oh, I have no idea, it's been there forever." She hands Dean his card, "Here you go, Mr. Mahagov."

"Thanks." Dean says.

Susan dings the bell on the desk, "You'll be staying in room 237." She hands Dean a key, "Sherwin, could you show these gentlemen to their rooms?"

As she says this, The three turn to see an old, balding man in a black blazer shuffling up behind Dean. Sherwin looks at all three of them, "Let me guess. Antiquers?"

Isabeau bites her lip; seriously, she was ready to combust into a pile of giggles.

* * *

Sherwin drags Dean's clunking duffel bag behind him, up the steps, as the three follow. "I could give you a hand with that bag." Dean offers.

"I got it." Sherwin immediately answers.

"Okay."

"So the hotel's closing up, huh?" Sam asks.

"Yep. Miss Susan tried to make a go of it, but the guests just don't come like they used to. Still, it's a damn shame." Sherwin says.

Isabeau hums, "Oh yeah?"

"It may not look it anymore, but this place was a palace. Two different vice-presidents laid their heads on our pillows. My parents worked here, I practically grew up here. Gonna miss it."

"Here's your room." He slips the key in the lock and opens the door, handing the key to Sam as he and Isabeau brush past.

Dean turns to shut the door and Sherwin is standing there, hand extended expectantly, "You're not gonna... cheap out on me, are you, boy?"

Isabeau snorts a little, placing her things on the bed and helps Sam with his.

Dean shrugs annoyed as he pulls out his wallet.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau are sitting next to each other, sifting through papers, and Dean is pacing. He chuckles as he approaches what appears to be an antique wedding dress displayed on a wall like a ghost, "What the-"

Sam looks over, "What?" Isabeau looks up from her own papers.

"That's normal." Dean gestures to the dress, "Why the hell would anyone stay here? I'm amazed they kept in business this long." He walks over to one of the beds, sinking into immediately.

"All right. Victim number one: Joan Edison, forty three years old, a realtor handling the sale of the hotel; and victim number two was Larry Williams, moving some stuff out to Goodwill." Sam explains.

"Well, there's a connection: they're both tied up in shutting the place down." Dean points out.

Isabeau hums, crossing her legs, "Yeah. Maybe somebody here doesn't want to leave, and they're using hoodoo to fight back."

"Who do you think our witch doctor is, that Susan lady?" He asks.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, doesn't seem likely. I mean, she is the one selling."

"So what then, Sherwin?"

"I don't know." Sam says.

"Of course, the most troubling question is why do these people assume we're gay?" Dean asks.

And finally, Isabeau bursts out in a fit of giggles, sliding deeper into her chair, hiding her face with the papers in her hands, "Oh god, you have no idea how much I've been holding myself back."

Isabeau peeks over her papers, seeing both of her boyfriends staring at her amused by her antics. They both also thought that whenever Isabeau fell into giggles, they thought it was the cutest thing. "What?" Isabeau asks.

Sam shakes his head, "Nothing, Beau." Sam then looks over at Dean, "Well, you are kinda butch. Probably think you're overcompensating."

Dean gives him a mocking laugh, "Right."

Isabeau falls into giggles again at Sam's words and Dean glares at her playfully, "You find that hilarious huh, sweetheart?"

Isabeau sets down her papers and bites her lip, "A little."

"Oh, you're going to get it!" Dean says getting up from his bed.

Isabeau laughs, jumping out of her seat and running away from Dean as he tries to catch her. Sam watches on with a laugh as his brother and girlfriend run around the room like two teenagers.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean poke around the hallways, Isabeau sees another urn and picks it up. It too, has a quincunx inscribed, "Hey. Look at that. More hoodoo."

They approach a door marked 'PRIVATE' and Dean knocks. Susan opens the door. Isabeau's eyes widened the second she saw the contents of the room and hid behind Sam, clenching tightly onto the back of his shirt, shaking.

Sam glances at Isabeau behind him, confused at her actions.

"Hi there." Dean greets.

"Hi. Everything okay with your room?" Susan asks.

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, everything's great. Yeah." Sam and Dean say talking over each other. Isabeau would have commented on it, but she was too focused on being frozen in fear at the items in the room.

"Well, I was, I was just in the middle of packing, so…" Susan trails off.

"Hey!" Dean says, looking past her, "Are those antique dolls?"

Sam reaches back discreetly with his hand, rubbing Isabeau's side to calm her down. Antique dolls; Isabeau was terrified of them on the same level he was terrified as clowns. Though, her fear was also much broader than just antique dolls; any inanimate objects that were human-like such as antique dolls, wax-figures and mannequins.

"Because this one," Dean was about to gesture to Isabeau, but the second he saw her practically cowering in fear at the dolls, he gestured to Sam, "This one here, he's got a major doll collection back home. Dontcha? Huh?"

Isabeau swallows; if that were a true statement, Isabeau would've burned every last one of those evil looking things.

Sam shoots Dean a look, "Big time."

Dean grins, "Big time. You think he could come- or we could come in and take a look?"

Isabeau looks at Dean in fear. Oh, if he makes her go in there, no sex for either of them for a week.

"I don't know…" Susan says unsure.

"Please? I mean, he loves them. He's not gonna tell you this, but he's, he's always dressing 'em up in these little tiny outfits and, um, you'd make his day. You- she would, huh? Huh?" Dean grins at Sam.

"It's true." Sam says deadpan, looking sick at saying those words. Isabeau was right there with him.

Susan nods with a smile, "Okay. Come on in."

"All right. All right!" Dean slaps Sam on the back as Sam walks in; Sam shoots him a death glare.

Isabeau freezes at the doorway, letting go of Sam and staring into the room with fear. Dean leans over and whispers into her ear, "Hey, you can hide in my chest. You would just walk in with us and you can close your eyes as I hold you okay?"

Isabeau begins to breathe heavily, "Dean… I…"

"Baby steps, Isabeau. Sam and I are going to be with you the entire time." Dean says.

"You won't let go?" She whispers.

Dean nods, "I won't let go."

Isabeau nods, instantly going into Dean's chest, wrapping her arms around his torso, and pressing her face into his chest, closing her eyes. Dean smiles softly at her, wrapping his arms around her and carefully walks into the room with her.

Susan tilts her head at the exchange, closing the door behind them, finding it sweet that Dean was helping Isabeau slowly get over her fear.

Sam glances back over at Isabeau, knowing that this was a huge step for her and she was probably itching to run straight out of this room… or burn every single doll in here.

"Wow. This is a lot of dolls. I mean, they're nice, you know. Not super creepy at all." Dean comments, finding Isabeau's fear of dolls reasonable. Antique dolls were very creepy. He caresses Isabeau's head as her grip tightens around Dean.

Susan chuckles,"Yeah, I suppose they are a little creepy. But they've been in the family forever. A lot of sentimental value."

"What is this? The hotel?" Sam asks, pointing to a replica of the hotel that also acted as a dollhouse.

Susan nods, "Yeah, that's right. Exact replica, custom built."

Sam leans down and picks up a broken doll. He frowns, "His head got twisted around." He lifts the doll up to show Dean. "What happened to it?" Sam asks.

Susan shakes her head, "Tyler, probably."

Tyler runs in, "Mommy! Maggie's being mean." Isabeau's eyes blink open at Tyler's voice and she stares at the child, her fear of dolls gone in that split moment.

"Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?" Susan says to her daughter.

"Hey, Tyler. I see you broke your doll. You want me to fix it?" Sam asks. Isabeau smiles a little at Sam's offer.

Tyler steps forward, "I didn't break it. I found it like that."

"Oh. Well, uh, maybe Maggie did it." Sam suggests.

"No, neither of us did it. Grandma would get mad if we broke 'em."

"Tyler, she wouldn't get mad." Susan says.

"Grandma?" Dean asks, taking a step forward. Isabeau closes her eyes again; the fear back in full force.

"Grandma Rose. These were all her toys." Tyler answers.

Dean nods, looking over at the dolls next to him and Isabeau, "Oh. Really. Where's Grandma Rose now?" He asks.

"Up in her room."

"You know, I'd, I'd uh," Sam chuckles, "I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible doll-"

"No." Susan says suddenly, "I mean, I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick and she's not taking any visitors."

* * *

Sam, Dean and Isabeau exit the room. Isabeau pulls away from Dean and leans against the railing, taking in deep breaths. "I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight knowing that's just a few doors down from us." She breathes out.

"Isabeau, hey, it's okay." Sam says quietly, "Come here."

Isabeau turns around and Sam cups her face, placing a light kiss on her forehead. Isabeau sighs, taking a few more breaths, "I'm good."

Sam pulls away and they start walking down the hall. "Well, what do you think? Dolls, hoodoo, mysterious shut-in grandma?" Dean asks.

Isabeau clears her throat, hugging herself, "Well, dolls are used in all kinds of voodoo and hoodoo, like curses, and binding spells, and…"

"Yeah, maybe we've found our witch doctor." Dean says. "All right, Isabeau and I will see what we can go dig up on boomin' Granny. You go get online, check old obits, freak accidents, that sort of thing, see if she's whacked anybody before."

"Right." Sam says, taking out their hotel key.

Isabeau and Dean walk away from Sam. "Don't go surfing porn- that's not the kind of whacking I mean." Dean comments. Isabeau gives him a look at his words.

Sam rolls his eyes and turns back to the room as Dean and Isabeau leave.

* * *

Sam stares through a lace-curtained window. He watches the coroner cart away the lawyer's body. Frustrated, he walks away from the window.

Dean and Isabeau are outside, and meet Susan as she comes back towards the inn.

"What happened?" Isabeau asks.

Susan stops in front of them, "Oh, the maid went in to turn down the sheets and he was just... hanging there."

"That's awful. He was a guest?" Dean asks.

Susan nods, "He worked for the company that bought the place."

Dean hums, "Hmm."

"I don't understand."

Isabeau furrows her brow, "What?"

"Had a lot of bad luck around here. Look, if you'd like to check out I'll give you a full refund." Susan offers.

Dean shakes his head, "No thanks. We don't scare that easy."

* * *

Sam is sitting alone in the dark with the door half-open and the key askew in the lock. Dean and Isabeau enter and Isabeau shuts the door behind them, taking the key as well.

"There's been another one. Some guy just hung himself in his room." Dean walks past Sam as Isabeau stands behind her younger boyfriend, hands in her pockets.

"Yeah. I saw." Sam says darkly. Isabeau tilts her head in confusion at Sam's tone.

"We've gotta figure this out, and fast. What'd you find out about Granny?" Dean asks.

"You're bossy." Sam says.

Isabeau crouches down next to Sam, staring at him, partially amused and confused. She sniffs at the air and then grimaces; Sam's been drinking.

Dean looks around in surprise, "What?"

"You're bossy. And short." Sam laughs sloppily at Dean. He then looks at Isabeau, bopping her nose, "And you're cute and sexy at the same time… How is that possible?" Sam asks her, tilting his head.

Isabeau looks over at Dean, not knowing how to respond to her obviously drunk boyfriend.

"Are you drunk?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. So? Stupid." Sam says.

Dean looks around and sees several empty bottles, "Dude, what are you thinking? We're working a case."

"That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him." Sam says tearfully, staring at nothing.

Isabeau speaks softly, "What are you talking about? You didn't know, you couldn't have done anything."

Sam shifts his gaze to Isabeau, "That's an excuse, Isabeau. I should have found a way to save him. I should have saved Ava too." Isabeau sighs. She was also responsible for Ava, so it pained her to see Sam take it so much harder compared to her.

Dean approaches Sam, "Yeah, well, you can't save everyone. Even you said that."

Sam slams the table, "No, Dean, you don't understand, all right? The more people I save, the more I can change!" Isabeau flinches at the loud noise, but doesn't step away from Sam.

Dean shakes his head, "Change what?"

Sam leans forward, hands to chest, "My destiny, Dean!"

"All right. Time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." He leans over and hauls Sam up by the shoulders, "Come on."

Isabeau stands from her crouched position and watches as Dean brings him to the bed.

"I need you to watch out for me." Sam says.

"Yeah. I always do." Dean responds.

"No! No, no, no. You have to _watch out_ for me, all right? And if I ever... turn into something that I'm not…" Sam pauses, "You have to kill me."

Isabeau's eyes widened.

* * *

" _Kill me!" 17-year-old Isabeau shouts as her coven stands around her in a circle, hands locked and blood drips from their clasped hands._

" _Isa, please! Fight this! This isn't you!" A 17-year-old teenage girl with long blonde curly hair and blue-green eyes shouts with tears falling down her face._

_Isabeau screams out in pain as she writhes on the wooden floor, her nails digging into the wood, leaving scratch marks. Isabeau glares up at the girl, "Carmen… kill me, or I will kill you." Her eyes glow a fiery orange, growling._

_Carmen shakes her head and exchanges pained looks with the rest of the coven, "We're not giving up on you, Isa. Not now, not ever."_

* * *

"Sam." Dean says, dismissive.

Sam shoves Dean to face him, "Dean! Dad told you to do it, you have to."

"Yeah, well, Dad's an ass." Dean says and Sam frowns in confusion.

Dean continues, "He never should have said anything. I mean, you don't do that, you don't, you don't lay that kind of crap on your kids."

"No. He was right to say it! Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies!" Sam exclaims.

Dean nods, "Yeah, well, I'm not dying, okay? Isabeau is not dying and neither are you. Come on. Sam."

He pushes Sam onto the bed, but Sam stays seated, reaching up and clutching Dean's jacket. Dean's right hand curls in the fabric at Sam's shoulder.

"No, please! Dean, you're the only one who can do it. Promise." Sam begs.

Dean shakes his head, "Don't ask that of me."

"Dean, please. You have to promise me."

Dean pauses, "I promise."

"Thanks." Sam reaches up and grabs Dean's face with both hands, "Thank you."

"All right. Come on." He bats Sam's hands away and shoves him back on the bed.

Sam falls back, then turns over on his stomach to plant his face in the pillow, hugging it with both arms.

Dean rubs a hand over his face and looks over at Isabeau. She stares down at Sam's form, tears falling down her face. She knew what it was like to be a monster. And more than once, she asked to be put down.

"Isabeau…" Dean trails off, walking over to her.

Isabeau sniffles, looking up at him sadly, "Go downstairs. Take a breather. I'll watch over him."

* * *

Isabeau walks over to the bed and frowns at Sam's form, brushing away stray hairs from his face, "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, Sam." It was just her and Sam in the room, Dean left a few minutes prior.

Sam turns his head toward her, "Isabeau, promise me-"

"No." She says immediately. "The people I love never gave up on me, so I'm not giving up on you."

A few tears fall down Sam's face, "Please-"

"No." Her lip trembles, "If I promise you, then you have to do the same for me."

"What?" Sam asks.

She smiles sadly, "I'm no saint, Sam. There were times when I begged my coven and family to kill me for what I've done. Though I wasn't really me when I did those things. If you want me to promise you, then you have to promise me that you will do the same."

Sam shakes his head, though it didn't really work as his face was squished against the pillow, "No… I could never do that."

"Then I guess we're both in the same boat… Get some sleep."

Sam grabs her hand, "Stay with me?"

Isabeau sighs, "As you wish."


	24. Playthings Pt.2

The next morning Sam is kneeling miserably in front of the toilet. Isabeau is standing behind him, holding his hair back and rubbing soft circles on his back, grimacing at the smell.

Isabeau didn't get much sleep last night. Even though she laid down with Sam, she was sort of watching over him all night and also knowing that a few rooms down was a shit ton of dolls didn't help one bit.

Dean enters and grins at the sight, "How you feeling, Sammy?" He asks loudly with a chuckle.

Sam groans again.

"I guess mixing whisky and Jäger wasn't such a gangbuster idea, was it?" Dean takes off his jacket.

"I'll bet you don't remember a thing from last night, do you?" Dean asks hopefully.

Sam groans, "Oh, I can still taste the tequila."

Dean smiles in relief, "You know, there's a really good hangover remedy- it's a, it's a greasy pork sandwich served up in a dirty ashtray."

Isabeau looks over, glaring at Dean's back at his comment.

Sam heaves, "Oh, I hate you."

"I know you do. Hey, turns out when Grandma Rose was a tyke, she had a Creole nanny who wore a hoodoo necklace." Dean walks over to the bathroom, turning away at the smell, "Ugh."

"So you think she taught Rose hoodoo?" Isabeau asks.

"Yes I do." Dean nods.

"All right." Sam stands painfully, "I think it's time we talked to Rose, then."

Dean grimaces, "Oh. You can brush your teeth first."

Isabeau nods in agreement, stepping out of the bathroom. No offense to Sam, but she did not want to kiss his lips after what he just did.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean approach the door marked 'PRIVATE' and knock.

"Hello? Susan?" Sam asks. Dean looks around furtively.

"Clear?"

"Mm-hmm." Dean hums.

Isabeau presses her hand up against the doorknob, eyes glowing violet. She whispers out a few words in latin and with a satisfying click, the door unlocks.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean enter the creepy doll room; Isabeau sticking very close to Sam as they pass.

They go to the door in the back; it's open, and they go through to find a dimly lit staircase. They creep upstairs and to the end of another hallway, into a small room whose door is ajar.

Rose is seated in a wheelchair facing the rainy window, her back to them.

They approach cautiously. "Mrs. Thompson? Mrs. Thompson?" Sam calls out cautiously.

Rose is trembling, staring at nothing. "Rose? Hi, Mrs. Thompson, we're not here to hurt you, it's okay-" Sam says.

She does not respond, just trembles harder. "Rose?" Isabeau frowns moving away from Rose.

Sam speaks quietly, "Dean." Him and Dean walk over to Isabeau, "This woman's had a stroke."

"Yeah, but hoodoo's hands-on, I mean, you've got to mix herbs, and chant, and build an altar." Dean says.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah. So it can't be Rose. Hey, maybe it's not even hoodoo."

"Or she could be faking."

"Yeah, what are you gonna do, poke her with a stick?" Isabeau asks sarcastically. Dean frowns, nodding. "Dean! You're not gonna poke her with a stick!" Isabeau scolds.

Susan enters the room, "What the hell?! What are you doing in here?"

Sam shakes his head, "Oh, we just wanted to talk to Rose…"

Dean overlaps Sam, "Well, the door was open…"

Isabeau decided to stay quiet, knowing whatever she says is not going to get them out of this situation.

Susan goes over to Rose, "Look at her, she is scared out of her wits. I want you out of my hotel in two minutes or I'm calling the cops."

The three leave without hesitation.

* * *

Susan walks outside and places a box in the trunk of a small red car parked outside. Sherwin pulls up in a red pickup truck, "I can lug those boxes for you." Sherwin offers.

"I got it, Sherwin, thanks." Susan says with a smile.

Sherwin nods, "Okay then. See you later." He drives off.

* * *

Tyler winds up a toy and watches it go back and forth. The miniature swingset beside her starts moving on its own and she stares at it.

* * *

On the playground, the wind blows, and Susan stares as the full-sized swingset also begins moving on its own.

She approaches the playground cautiously; all the playsets are moving, and the car starts behind her. She lays a hand on the teeter-totter to stop it.

Everything starts moving faster, and suddenly the car revs its engine and comes straight at her. At the last moment Isabeau appears, tackling her out of the way, "Are you okay?" Isabeau asks.

Susan nods, "I think so."

Sam and Dean come running up to the women, "Come on, come on. Let's get inside, let's go." Dean says and they help Susan into the inn.

* * *

Isabeau, Sam and Dean guide Susan into the bar and to a table. "Whisky." Susan simply says.

"Sure. I know the feeling." Sam says,going over to the bar.

"What the hell happened out there?" Susan asks Dean and Isabeau.

"You want the truth?" Isabeau asks.

"Of course."

Dean sighs, "Well, at first we thought it was some sort of hoodoo curse, but that out there? That was definitely a spirit."

Sam hands her a glass of whisky, "Here."

"You're insane." Susan tells him.

"Yeah, it's been said."

Sam glances at Dean and addresses Susan, "Look, I'm sorry, Susan. We don't exactly have time to ease you into this, but we need to know when your mother had the stroke."

Susan downs her whisky in one go, "What does that have to do with any—"

"Just answer the question."

"About a month ago." She says.

"Right before the killings began." Sam looks at Dean and Isabeau, "See? So what if Rose was working hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone. To protect them."

"She was using the five spot urns to ward off the spirit." Dean adds.

Isabeau nods, "Right, until she had a stroke and she couldn't anymore." She concludes.

Susan shakes her head, "I don't believe this."

"Listen, sister, that car didn't try to run you down by itself, okay? I mean, I guess it did, technically, but, but the spirit can- forget it."

Isabeau interrupts, taking a seat, "Look, believe what you want. But the fact is you and your family are in danger, all right? So you need to clear everybody out of here: your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone."

Susan pauses, "Um, I only have one daughter."

"One?" Isabeau asks as the three look at her confused.

"I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie." Dean recalls.

"Maggie's imaginary."

Sam grits his teeth, "Where's Tyler?"

* * *

Maggie is standing in front of a terrified Rose, "She's going to stay here with me. And you can't stop me. There's nothing you can do about it." Maggie tells Rose.

Tyler enters the room, "Maggie, don't! You're not supposed to bother grandma."

"I know. Come on. Let's play." Maggie smiles.

"Can we have a tea party?" Tyler asks.

Maggie walks to Tyler, "We can have lots of tea parties. Forever and ever and ever."

* * *

Susan leads Sam, Isabeau and Dean up to the playroom. "Tyler!" Susan calls out.

They go into the room; the floor is littered with broken dolls. At that moment, Isabeau repressed her fears. When it came to children, Isabeau was able to put away her own shit and focus on making sure that children stayed safe.

Susan starts to panic, "Oh my god. Tyler." Susan runs out of the room and the three look around the room, "Tyler!" She comes back, "She's not here!"

Isabeau turns to Susan, "Susan. Tell us what you know about Maggie."

Susan stutters, "Uh, not much. Um, Tyler's been talking about her since Mom got sick."

Sam nods, "Okay, did you ever know anyone by that name?"

"Uh, no…"

"Think, think, I mean, somebody that could have lived here, might have passed away?" Dean gives her options to choose from.

Susan pauses, "Oh my god. My mom. My mom had a sister named Margaret. She barely spoke about her."

"Did Margaret happen to die here when she was a kid?" Isabeau asks, her heart racing in fear. Not from the dolls, but from the fear of Tyler getting hurt.

"She drowned in the pool." Susan says.

The three exchange a knowing look, "Come on." Dean orders.

* * *

Susan, Sam, Isabeau and Dean run through the gardens to the pool house. They reach the door and pound on it, seeing Tyler hanging on the ledge above the pool.

The doors locked tight, and Sam, Isabeau and Dean start pounding at the glass to break it.

"Tyler!" Susan shouts for her daughter. They pound on the door more.

"Tyler!"

Tyler turns to look at her mother, "Mommy!"

Maggie grabs her wrist and pulls her forward; she falls into the pool with a scream.

"Is there another entrance?" Dean asks.

"Around back." Susan answers.

"All right, let's go." Dean tells Susan. He turns to Isabeau and Sam, "Keep working."

As they run around the building, Sam and Isabeau continue to pound at the door. Sam looks back and sees a large potted plant. He pulls the plant out, picks up the heavy pot, and starts pounding the door with it.

Inside, Tyler flounders in the water, coming up for a second, but Maggie pushes her head down.

Dean approaches the back door and holds Susan aside, "Stand back."

He front-kicks the door, twice, but it hardly budges, "Son of a bitch!"

As Maggie holds Tyler's head under the water, a wavering voice calls her from above, "Margaret. Margaret!" Rose's voice calls out.

Sam finally breaks through the glass and Isabeau wriggles through the opening. "Beau!" Sam screams as Isabeau runs.

Without hesitation, Isabeau leaps over the railing and into the pool. She pushes past the plastic covering the pool to reach Tyler, lifting her in her arms. She is unconscious.

Dean breaks through the back door and he, Susan and Sam rush in to meet Isabeau as she places Tyler on the side of the pool.

Isabeau places a hand on Tyler's chest and briefly, her eyes flash violet. After a tense moment, Tyler coughs and wakes up.

Susan pulls Tyler into her arms, "Thank god! Thank god, thank god."

Isabeau pushes her damp hair out of her face, sharing a look with Sam and Dean and they look back at the mother and daughter.

"Mommy!" Tyler says.

"Yeah, baby, I'm here." Susan reassures her.

"Tyler, do you see Maggie anywhere?" Isabeau asks.

Tyler looks around and shakes her head, "No, she's gone."

Isabeau looks back at Sam and Dean and sighs.

* * *

"You'd really do that for me?" Maggie asks, standing in front of Rose, "Yes. If you did, I'd let them go. But I don't understand. You kept me away for so long. I thought you didn't love me anymore."

Maggie reaches forward and caresses Rose's cheek, "Okay, little sister."

* * *

Susan holds Tyler close to her as they go up towards Rose's room. "Don't worry, honey, we're leaving in two minutes, we've just got to get Grandma." Susan says.

"I don't get it, did Maggie just stop?" Dean asks.

Sam shrugs, "Seems like it."

Isabeau nods in agreement and looks down at her body; she's absolutely drenched.

"Well, where the hell did she go?"

Upstairs, Susan screams. They go running up to Rose's room to find her slumped in her wheelchair, dead.

* * *

The three stand outside the hotel, Isabeau was no longer wet; thanks to her fire and with the time that passed, she was able to get dry. They watch as the paramedics wheel Rose's corpse into the Coroner's van.

The three walk over to Susan, "Paramedics said it was another stroke. Do you think... Margaret could have had something to do with it?" She asks them.

Dean purses his lips, "We don't know."

Isabeau nods, "But it's possible, yeah." She pauses, "Susan, I'm sorry."

Susan shakes her head, "You have nothing to apologize for. You've given me everything."

She looks down at Tyler as she comes out, "Ready to go, kiddo?"

Tyler nods, "Yeah."

"Now Tyler, you're sure Maggie's not around anymore?" Dean asks.

"I'm sure. I'd see her." Tyler responds. Susan and Tyler walk over to the taxi and the three follow.

Dean nods, "I guess whatever's going on must be over."

Isabeau holds the taxi door for Susan, "You two take care of yourselves, all right?"

Before getting in the taxi, she turns and gives Isabeau a full-body hug. Isabeau takes the hug, giving her a comforting pat on the back. Dean and Sam raise their brows at the exchange.

Susan pulls away, "Thank you. All of you." Susan climbs into the taxi and Isabeau shuts the door behind her.

Dean wraps an arm around her shoulders and Sam wraps and arm around her waist. "Trying to get some MILF action there, Beau?"

Isabeau laughs sarcastically, "Ha-ha. No thank you."

Dean smiles, "Well, you saved the mom, you saved the girl. Not a bad day. 'Course you know, we could have saved 'em ourselves, but we didn't want you to feel useless."

Sam rolls his eyes, "Don't listen to him, Beau. You did great."

Isabeau smiles, placing two kisses on each of their cheeks, "Damn right I did."

There's a silence between the three of them as they part, Sam and Isabeau to the passenger side and Dean to the driver's side of the impala.

"Feels good getting back in the saddle, doesn't it?" Dean asks Sam.

Sam sighs, "Yeah, it does. But it doesn't change what we talked about last night, Dean." Isabeau looks down, totally forgetting about last night.

Dean stares at him, "We talked about a lot of things last night."

"You know what I mean."

"You were wasted."

"But you weren't. And you promised." Sam repeats.

Isabeau sighs, opening the passenger door and slides in, Sam following.

Dean gets into the impala as well, flicking his eyes towards Sam in worry and they pull away from the inn.

* * *

Isabeau sits on a chair, staring out the motel window, watching the lightning light up the night sky and smiling when she hears the downpour of the rain and rolling thunder. She changed out of her clothing, just wearing her black lace bra and underwear and one of her plaid button-ups that she never actually did button up.

Sam pulls up another chair across from her, and takes a seat, staring at Isabeau as she looks out the window. His hair was slightly damp and he was dressed in his own pajamas, just coming out of the shower a few minutes prior and Dean was in there now.

"You're never going to promise, are you?" Sam asks.

Isabeau sighs, lifting her legs and lays them across Sam's lap. Sam's hands immediately land on her bare legs, rubbing them softly.

"Sam… I will never promise something like that for as long as I live. I asked my coven the exact same thing and they said no. And it's the same for each and every one of them." Isabeau explains.

Isabeau huffs, "You know that there's a time in my life that I wasn't fully me and it led me down a path where I almost killed the people I love. I begged and begged for them to kill me, Sam."

Sam's hands tighten slightly, "But they didn't."

Isabeau hums, nodding, "They knew that it wasn't really me doing those terrible things. It was my addiction; twisting and turning me into something I'm not."

She turns to Sam, a few tears falling down her face, "And there's always a chance of me falling back down that hole. And it scares me more than ever now that I'm with you and Dean."

Sam shakes his head, "I know you would never hurt us, Isabeau. Just like I would never hurt you. Same goes for Dean… We won't let you fall down that hole again, Beau."

Isabeau smiles weakly, "Then believe me when I say, that you will never need to be killed, Sam. Because no matter what, you could never be a monster, not to me."

Sam stares at Isabeau for a few seconds. He nods, "Okay… Come here." He holds his hand out to Isabeau.

She takes it and Sam pulls her into his lap sideways. She lays her head in the crook of Sam's neck and Sam wraps his arms around her, "I love you." Sam whispers.

"I love you." Isabeau whispers back.

The two sit in silence, staring out the window.

Though the silence is broken sometime later as Dean steps out of the bathroom in his own pajamas and smiles at his brother and Isabeau. The event of the day washing away just for this moment.

Dean walks over to the two, "I'm stealing." Dean hooks one of his arms under Isabeau's knees and the other hooking around her waist, picking her up in his arms and away from Sam.

Sam gives Dean a look as he sits down across from him in the chair that Isabeau previously sat in. Isabeau laughs, laying her head in the same spot she did with Sam.

"Oh, by the way. I have something I need to implement." Isabeau speaks up.

Dean and Sam look down at her, "Yeah? What's that?" Dean asks.

Isabeau bites her lip, "Since you two made me go into that room filled with the creepy dolls… no sex for either of you for the next week."

She was met with silence and the deadpan stares from both boyfriends. "What?" They ask in unison.

Isabeau shrugs, even though she loved it when they talked together, she pushed it into the back of her mind for now, "No sex for one week. Punishment for making me step foot in that room."

"B-but, Beau." Dean stutters out, him and Sam sharing a look of mild panic. Sex wasn't everything to their relationship, but was an added bonus.

"Hey, you two did it to yourselves, plus I said no _sex,_ I didn't say no having a little fun. I'm not that evil…" She thinks for a second, "Well, I can be."

Sam and Dean share a look; they could last a week without sex… hopefully… maybe… probably not, but they were gonna try. But, Isabeau did say they could still have fun, and they were going to turn the tables on Isabeau.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been gone for a while, had a busy last couple of days. Sunday, the 19th, was my 20th birthday (Yes I share the same birthday as Jared Padalecki) (Also Benedict Cumberbatch by the way). Plus I've been dealing with college for the fall semester and I have like a full semester, not to mention also spent over $550 for watercolor and oil painting supplies! Yay for art school! It's so expensive. Plus, my family doesn't really want me to work during this crazy time because of my health problems so I'm really tight on money. Yay! But I hope things are going well for you guys!
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	25. Nightshifter Pt.1

Isabeau stands at the counter of the jewelry store, pushing up her fake, black thick-framed glasses as she looks at the contents inside the display case. She was dressed in her FBI apparel and instead of heels she went with dress shoes.

"Oh, look at that one." Skylar comments next to her, pointing at one of the rings that caught her eye. Skylar was wearing her own FBI apparel; a slate gray trench coat, black turtleneck sweater, black dress pants and black ankle boot heels.

Isabeau leans over to take a look at the ring and hums, "Definitely your style."

Skylar and her share a smile. Isabeau asked Skylar if she wanted to tag along with the three of them, seeing as she was only a couple towns over, finishing up her own hunt. Skylar of course took up Isabeau's offer and was now helping them.

An attractive young woman, Frannie, comes out of the back with some papers in her hand, "So what's it like, being FBI women?"

Skylar and Isabeau look up to face her as she speaks. Isabeau raises a brow and as Skylar gives her a kind smile, "Well… it's dangerous. And the secrets we've gotta keep, oh. God, the secrets. But mostly it's, it's lonely."

Frannie nods, "I _so_ know what you mean."

Skylar nods sagely, "Yeah."

Isabeau rolls her eyes and nudges Skylar, giving her a look. Skylar always had a habit of having a little fun with the FBI bit.

Skylar shrugs, winking at Isabeau.

Elsewhere in the store; Sam and Dean, are also dressed in suits. Sam with slicked hair, is interrogating the manager, a middle aged man.

"Helena was our head buyer. She… she was family, you know? She said it herself, every year at the Christmas party. She said we were the only family she had." The Manager says, walking behind one of the display cases.

"So there were never any signs that she'd do something like this?" Sam asks.

The Manager shakes his head, "No. Still can't believe it, even now. That night, Helena came back to the store after closing. Cleaned out all the display cases, and the safe. Edgar — our night watchman — he caught her in the act. He didn't know what to do, he'd known her for years. He called me at home."

Dean furrows his brow, "And that's when she took his gun?"

"She shot him in the face. I heard him die. Over the phone." The Manager says.

Sam narrows his eyes, "Any idea what her motive could have been?"

The Manager shakes his head, "What motive? It makes no sense. Why steal all those diamonds, all that jewelry, and then what? Just dump it somewhere, just hide it, and then go home and…"

"She killed herself?" Isabeau asks, leaning against the case.

"Well, the cops said. She dropped the hair dryer in the bath and fried herself. They should know, right?" Frannie asks.

Skylar and Isabeau exchange a look. "Yeah. Well, thanks, Frannie, I think that's all we need." Skylar says.

Frannie blinks rapidly, looking back and forth between the two women, "Really? Because I've got more. You know," She looks around slyly, "If you both wanted to interview me sometime. In private?"

Isabeau purses her lips and Skylar's eyes widen at the implication that Frannie wanted to have a night of fun with both her and Isabeau.

Isabeau sits up from the case and glances over at Sam and Dean, "Yeah, uh, we're flattered Frannie, really, we are, but um…"

"We're both sort of taken at the moment." Skylar finishes, wrapping an arm around Isabeau's waist, pulling her close. Isabeau smiles sheepishly at Frannie, playing along with Skylar.

Frannie's face falls at the two's interaction, "Oh."

Dean rubs his face, "So you never saw the security camera footage yourself, then?"

The Manager shakes his head, "No. The police, they took all the tapes, first thing."

"Yeah, of course they did." Isabeau says as her and Skylar approach.

Sam and Dean look back and their eyes instantly look down at Skylar's arm that was still wrapped around Isabeau.

More and more, both Sam and Dean were getting used to members of Isabeau's coven popping in and out, helping with hunts. In a way it was nice, having an extra set of hands helping them out here and there.

They were also getting used to Isabeau being affectionate with her coven members in front of them; hugging, little touches that they caught and of course, kisses. Not like kisses on the cheek or temple, but on the lips.

At first it was weird to see their girlfriend kiss her coven members in front of them, but at this point, they were used to it and wouldn't bat an eyelash at the exchange. And they didn't want to admit it, but as time went by, they found it interesting and found themselves actually looking forward to Isabeau and her coven's relationship.

Dean smiles and nods at Isabeau and Skylar.

* * *

Leaving the jewelry store, Sam, Isabeau, Skylar and Dean drive down a dark street and pull up in front of a small house.

"Five - this is it." Sam states as Dean shuts off the engine.

Dean sighs, "Friggin' cops." He opens his door.

Isabeau gives him a look from the backseat where she was sitting with Skylar, "They're just doing their job, Dean."

Dean fully gets out with everyone else doing the same, "No, they're doing our job, only they don't know it, so they suck at it. Talk to me about this bank."

They all get out of the car and approach the house, Isabeau and Skylar walking in between Dean and Sam.

Skylar huffs, "Uh, Milwaukee National Trust. It was hit about a month ago."

Dean looks over at her, "Same M.O. as the jewelry store?"

Skylar nods, "Yep, inside job, longtime employee, the never-in-a-million-years type. Dude robs the bank, then goes home and supposedly commits suicide."

"The guy Resnick, he was the security guard on duty?"

Sam nods, adding in, "Yeah. He was actually beaten unconscious by the teller who heisted the place."

"God." Dean says.

"Yeah." Sam agrees.

Isabeau knocks on the screen door, "Mr. Resnick? Ronald Resnick?" She calls out.

A bright flood light turns on, and they shield their eyes.

"Son of a-" Dean trails off.

A youngish man comes to the door warily.

"FBI, Mr. Resnick." Isabeau blinks, trying to get her eyesight back in focus.

"Let me see the badge." Ronald asks on the other side of the door.

Sam, Isabeau, Skylar and Dean pull out badges and slap them against the screen door in unison.

Ronald squints at them carefully, "I already gave my statement to the police."

They all put their badges away while Dean speaks, "Yeah, listen Ronald, um… just some things about your statement we wanted to get some clarification on."

"You read it?" Ronald asks.

Dean smiles, "Sure did."

Ronald points to himself, "You come to listen to what I've got to say?"

Skylar nods, "Well, that's why we're here."

Ronald stares at them for a moment, then nods, "Well… Come on in."

Ronald opens the door and leads them through a narrow hallway to a cluttered room; the walls are covered with alien photos and conspiracy theory paraphernalia.

"None of the cops ever called me back. Not after I told them what was really going on. Uh, they all thought I was crazy. First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust, okay? That, I guarantee." Ronald explains.

Skylar and Isabeau look at each other, mouthing 'Wow' to each other and look at everything on the walls together.

"See, we and Juan were friends. He used to come back to the bank on my night shifts, and we'd play cards." Ronald continues.

Isabeau glances over, "So you let him into the bank that night, after hours."

"The thing I let into the bank… wasn't Juan. I mean, it had his face, but it wasn't his face." Ronald says and all four of them share a look.

Ronald grabs a couple of papers, "Uh, every detail was perfect, but too perfect, you know, like if a dollmaker made it, like I was talking to a big Juan-doll."

"A Juan-doll?" Sam says doubtfully.

"Look. This wasn't the only time this happened. Okay?" Ronald hands Sam a file folder, "There was this jewelry store, too. And the cops, a-and you guys, you just won't see it!"

Sam looks in the folder with Isabeau looking over; it looks like a Hunter's profile of the jewelry case.

"Both crimes were pulled by the same thing." Ronald tells them.

Isabeau shoves her hands in her coat pockets, "What's that, Mr. Resnick?"

Ronald picks up a copy of a magazine called 'Fortean Times' and holds it to his chest. The headline at the bottom reads 'BIRTH OF THE CYBERMEN'.

He points at it, "Chinese've been working on 'em for years. And the Russians before that. Part men, part machine. Like the Terminator. But the kind that can change itself, make itself look like other people."

Dean smirks, "Like the one from T2." Sam and Skylar give Dean a look and the smile on his face falters. Isabeau just shakes her head fondly at Dean.

Ronald points at Dean, "Exactly! See, so not just a robot, more of a, a, a, a… Mandroid."

Skylar nods slowly, "A Mandroid?"

"And what makes you so sure about this, Ronald?" Dean asks.

Ronald holds up a finger, smiling a little wildly.

* * *

Ronald inserts a VHS tape labeled 'M.N.T. Camera 4 - Juan' into a player. "See, I made copies of all the security tapes. I knew once the cops got them they'd be buried."

Dean nods from his spot on the couch; Isabeau sitting in between him and Sam and Skylar sitting on the other side of Sam.

"Here." Ronald fast-forwards the tape, "Now watch. Watch. Watch him, watch, watch! See, look! Th-, th-, there it is!"

He pauses the tape, "You see? He's got the laser eyes."

The videotape shows Juan, facing the camera, with a light-flare in his eyes. The four share a knowing look; a shapeshifter. What a coincidence that Skylar is helping them on this case, Isabeau thought to herself.

Ronald looks back at the tape with a wild smile, "Cops said it was some kind of reflected light. Some kind of 'camera flare'. Okay? Ain't no damn camera flare. They say I'm a post-trauma case. So what? Bank goes and fires me, it don't matter!"

Sam eyes him cautiously as he continues to rant, "The Mandroid is, is still out there. The law won't hunt this thing down - I'll do it myself."

Isabeau and Skylar look at each other, they've heard that before from humans and it always ended badly.

"You see, this thing, it, it, it kills the real person, makes it look like a suicide, then it sorta, like, morphs into that person. Cases the job for a while until it knows the take is fat, and then it finds its opening. Now, these robberies, they're, they're grouped together."

Ronald gestures at a map on the wall, "So I figure the Mandroid is holed up somewhere in the middle, underground, maybe. I dunno, maybe that's where it recharges its, uh, Mandroid batteries."

Dean nods, apparently impressed. Isabeau and Skylar bite their lips, knowing he hit the nail right on the head; except for the mandroid part.

Sam stares intently, "Okay." They all stand.

Sam continues, "I want you to listen very carefully. Because I'm about to tell you the God's honest truth about all of this."

Dean smiles, waiting to see what Sam says. Isabeau and Skylar look up at him, curious to what he's about to say.

"There's no such thing as Mandroids. There's nothing evil or inhuman going on out there. Just people. Nothing else, you understand?" Sam tells Ronald.

Isabeau and Skylar nod, agreeing with Sam. As hybrids, they mostly kept their own identity secret from humans. Only a select few knew what they were.

Dean is mostly keeping a straight face, but is clearly startled. He starts to say something.

"The laser eyes." Ronals says desperately.

"Just a camera flare, Mr. Resnick. See, I know you don't want to believe this. But your friend Juan robbed the bank and that's it." Sam explains.

Ronald points toward the door, "Get out of my house! Now!" He exclaims.

"Sure. First things first." Sam says calmly.

Dean frowns at Sam in further confusion. Isabeau just raises a brow at Sam as he continues on his FBI bit. She feels heat pooling in her stomach. Again, a uniform really did something to her.

* * *

Isabeau, Skylar, Sam and Dean return to their motel room, which has the obligatory tacky wall decorations. All of them dressed in ordinary clothing again.

Dean stands in front of one of the walls with details on the hunt, "Man, that has got to be the kicker, straight up. I mean, you tell that poor son of a bitch that - what did you say, 'remand' the tapes that he copied? 'Classified evidence of an ongoing investigation?'

Dean laughs, "That's messed up." Dean sits down at the table next to Skylar and Isabeau.

Sam sits down to watch the tape, "What are you, pissed at me or something?" Sam turns to him.

Dean shrugs, setting down his can of beer, "Nah, I just think it's a little creepy how good of a Fed you are. I mean, come on, we could have at least thrown the guy a bone. He did some pretty good legwork here."

Isabeau rolls her eyes and walks up to Sam, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him from behind, "Oh, don't listen to him." Isabeau leans into his ear and whispers, "I thought it was pretty sexy, Love."

Sam thickly swallows at Isabeau's comment as she kisses his cheek. Isabeau looks over her shoulder and scoffs, "And besides, Dean. Mandroid?" She smiles, giving him a look.

Dean pauses, "Except for the Mandroid part. I liked him. He's not that different from you, Skylar, Sam and me. People think we're crazy."

Skylar crosses her arms, "Yeah, except he's not a hunter, Dean. He's just a guy who stumbled onto something real. If he were to go up against this thing he'd get torn apart. Better to stay in the dark, and stay alive."

Dean purses his lips at her, "Yeah, I guess."

Dean places tracing paper over the map and starts marking it with a red pen as Sam pauses the tape on the flaring eyes, "Shapeshifter. Just like back in St. Louis. Same retinal reaction to video."

"Eyes flare at the camera. I hate those friggin' things." Dean comments.

"Hey!" Skylar says offended.

Dean chuckles nervously, "Obviously not you, Sky." Dean calls her by her nickname. "You and Isabeau's entire coven are the exception."

Skylar nods with a chuckle, "I'm just fucking with you, Dean. Seriously, any shapeshifter that's not my family, I hate too."

Sam looks over, holding onto one of Isabeau's hands, "There's more than one shapeshifter in your family?"

Skylar nods and Isabeau explains, "Her mother, Tara, is a shapeshifter, along with the youngest brother, Harris, who is a year older than Dion. But her father, Holden, and the second oldest brother, Jacobe, are both natural born witches."

"All of us in the coven are the first born in our family; all hybrids while some of us who have siblings, either are natural witches or whatever supernatural creature our mothers are." Skylar explains.

Skylar then shrugs, "But I mean it, hate shapeshifters all you like. A lot of them are complete dicks."

Sam looks back at the TV, "We're all on the same page then."

Dean nods, "Yeah, well, one didn't turn into you and frame you for murder." Dean is tracing a pattern on paper of the sewer system.

Sam licks his lips, "Well, look. If this shifter's anything like the one we killed in Missouri…"

"Then Ronald was right." Dean concludes. "All right, they like to layer up underground, preferably the sewer. And all the robberies have been connected so far, right?"

"Yeah." Isabeau agrees.

"With the, uh, sewer main layout." Dean points to the map and Skylar leans over to look.

"There's one more bank lined up on that same sewer main." Dean says.

* * *

A security guard leads Sam and Dean, now uniformed as Securiserve Guard Service technicians, down the main hall of the City Bank of Milwaukee.

"Well, we haven't had any flags go up on our system yet." The guard tells them.

Dean shakes his head, "No, this is a glitch in the overall grid. We just want to make sure the branch monitors are kosher."

Sam and Dean notice the lights slightly flickering above them, and small tendrils electricity sparking out, following the brothers. Nobody else seems to notice.

"Well, better to be safe than sorry, I guess." The security guard says.

Dean nods, glancing at Sam, "That's the plan."

* * *

The guard opens the door to an observation room with several TV screens showing security footage, "All righty. You guys need anything else?" The guard asks them.

"Oh, no, no, we'll be, uh, we'll be in and out before you know it, just a routine check." Sam reassures him.

The guard smiles at them, "Okie-dokie." He walks out of the room and closes the door, leaving Sam and Dean alone.

A couple sparks of electricity crackle in a nearby outlet. A bigger spark of electricity flies out from it and in a flash, Isabeau and Skylar are standing next to Sam and Dean, both dressed in their normal clothing.

Isabeau looks over at her boyfriends with a grin, "I like him. He says 'Okie-dokie.'"

Sam smiles, shaking his head at her, "What if he's the shifter?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Well, then we follow him home, put a silver bullet through his chestplate."

They all go to sit down to watch the screens. Isabeau notices that there are only three chairs that were now occupied by Sam, Skylar and Dean.

Skylar reaches out and pulls Isabeau into her lap. Sam and Dean watch as Skylar wraps her arms around Isabeau's waist as the two girls watch the video footage.

Sam and Dean understood that Isabeau never really got to see her coven, so they didn't say anything about them two of them being intimate. They especially didn't say anything when they heard Isabeau's moans coming from the room next to them the night before.

When Skylar first came to them, Isabeau and her had a night alone together in Skylar's motel room. The brothers obviously knew what was happening in that room, the walls were very thin.

Both brothers didn't know why, but the thought of Isabeau having sex with her coven didn't bother them, in fact, they felt the complete opposite.

Dean leans back, pushing back his thoughts for now, "Okay. Well, you got any popcorn?" He jokes.

* * *

Later, they're still reviewing the screens; the guard is on one, and his eyes are normal. Isabeau places her hands on top on Skylar's, "Well, it looks like mister okie-dokie is… okie-dokie."

"Maybe we jumped the gun on this, guys. I mean, we don't even know it's here." Sam says.

"Mm-hmm." Skylar says distracted.

Isabeau shrugs as she stands up from Skylar's lap to stretch her legs, "Maybe we should just go back to the sewers and… and…" She trails off.

Skylar is zooming one of the cameras in on the ass of an attractive young woman who is bending over.

Isabeau presses her lips into a thin line and wacks the back of Skylar's head, "Skylar, we're supposed to be looking for eyes. Do you have to look at every good looking ass that comes your way?"

Dean smacks her own ass for that comment, "Watch your words, sweetheart."

Isabeau chuckles, leaning over to place a kiss on his lips, "Don't worry, yours and Sam's asses are way better." Isabeau winks over at Sam who smiles a little.

Skylar rolls her eyes fondly at the exchange between the three of them, "I'm getting there."

"Oh yeah?" Isabeau raises a brow.

Skylar's small smile drops and she leans forward, "Wait a minute."

On another screen, a middle-aged man turns towards the camera; his eyes flare. "Hello, freak." Skylar says with a smirk.

"Got him." Sam says.

Sam and Skylar head for the door, but Dean and Isabeau linger behind, looking at another screen.

"Sam. Sky." Dean says, stopping both in their tracks.

Sam turns, "What?"

They watch as Ronald scurries up to the outer door with a chain and a padlock, chaining the door shut.

Isabeau places her hands on her hips, "Hello, Ronald."

* * *

Ronald runs inside and down the stairs. He has an assault rifle, and he brandishes it and fires once as he gets to the bottom of the stairs.

"This is not a robbery! Everybody on the floor now!" Ronald screams out.

* * *

Ronald fires again into the air, and people begin screaming and ducking for cover.

"Get down, dammit! Come on! On the floor, on the floor! In the middle! On the floor in the middle! In the middle, on the floor, come on! Hurry up, come on!"

* * *

Dean, Isabeau, Skylar and Sam walk down a hallway towards the main hall; a few panicked people brush past them, running the other way.

"And you said we shouldn't bring guns." Dean says to Sam.

"I didn't know _this_ was gonna happen, Dean." Sam says in defense.

"Just let me do the talking. I don't think he likes you very much, Agent Johnson." Dean says.

"Got a point." Isabeau comments.

* * *

Ronald holds up a key, "Now, there's only one way in or out of here, and I chained it up. So nobody's leaving, do you understand?"

Dean enters with the others behind him, "Hey, buddy. Calm down. Just calm down." The four raise their hands in defense.

Skylar looks over at Isabeau and then at the hostages. Her and Isabeau couldn't risk using any of their powers to get out of this situation.

Ronald looks at the four of them in utter shock, "What the- You! Get on the floor, now."

The four follow his orders, "Okay, we're doing that. Just don't shoot anybody, especially us." Dean tells him.

"I knew it. As soon as you four left. You ain't FBI. Who are you? Who are you working for, huh? The men in black?"

Isabeau and Skylar stare at him deadpan as Dean blinks and Sam scoffs at Ronald's comment.

"You working for the Mandroid?" Ronald asks, panicked.

"We're not working for the Mandroid!" Sam exclaims.

Ronald points at him, "You, shut up! I ain't talking to you. I don't like you."

Dean gives Sam an 'I told you so' look.

Sam nods, "Fair enough."

"Get over there. Frisk them down, make sure they got no weapons on them. Go!" Ronald points to one of the hostages.

A middle-aged black man goes over to the four of them and frisks them; he finds a knife in Dean's boot.

"Now what have we here?" Ronald steps forward.

Isabeau gives Dean a look. "I'm not just gonna walk in here naked!" Dean says in response to her.

Ronald takes the knife, "Get back there." He drops the knife in the deposit box. It clatters.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Dean winces, "We know you don't want to hurt anybody. That's exactly what's gonna happen if you keep waving that cannon around, and why don't you let these people go?"

"No! I already told you. If nobody's gonna stop this thing, then I've got to do it myself." Ronald exclaims.

"Hey, we believe you! That's why we're here." Isabeau says.

"You don't believe me. Nobody believes me! How could they?" Ronald asks her.

Dean gestures for Ronald to come to him, "Come here."

Ronald glances back at the hostages and then back at Dean, "What? No."

Dean shakes his head, "You're holding the gun, boss, you're calling the shots. I just want to tell you something. Come here."

Ronald approaches cautiously and leans in.

"It's the bank manager." Dean says quietly so only the group of them could hear.

"What?"

Dean gestures to himself and Sam, "Why do you think we've got these getups, huh? We've been monitoring the cameras in the back. We saw the bank manager. We saw his eyes."

Ronald eyes widen, "His laser eyes?"

"Yes." Dean shakes his head at his mistake, "No. No! No, look, we're running out of time, okay? We've got to find him before he changes into someone else."

Ronald shifts his gun, "Like I'm gonna listen to you. You're a damn liar."

Dean stands cautiously, hands out.

Isabeau's eyes widen at Dean's actions, "Dean!" She hisses out.

"I'll shoot you! Get down!" Ronald exclaims.

"Take me. Okay? Take me with you, take me as a hostage. But we've gotta act fast. Because the longer we just sit here the more time he has to change."

"Dean! No!" Isabeau hisses out again. Her heart was starting to race and Dean sent her a reassuring glance.

Dean looks back at Ronald, "Look at me, man. I believe you. You're not crazy. There really is something inside this bank."

"All right. You come with me." Ronald points the gun at the other hostages that gasp and cry,"But everyone else gets in the vault!"

* * *

A policeman paces outside, then goes around the corner where several police cars are waiting.

"Come on, move, move!" He calls out to the other officers.

* * *

Ronald ushers the hostages, including Sam, Isabeau and Skylar, into the vault, "Come on, move, move! Move, move!"

Ronald points the gun at Dean, "And you lock it up."

Sam, Isabeau and Skylar place themselves in front of all the hostages who scurry deeper into the vault. Isabeau plays with her rosary and Sam notices. Sam pulls Isabeau into his side, knowing that she needed some comfort.

Dean starts moving the heavy door shut, "It's okay, everyone. Just stay cool."

He shrugs at the three in apology and Sam swallows unhappily, rubbing his hand up and down Isabeau's arm.

Dean slams the door shut.

A young redhead, Sherry, stares after him, "Who is that man?"

"He's my brother." Sam says worried.

"He is so brave." Sherry says breathlessly.

Isabeau blinks, looking back at Sherry with a glare, "He's also my boyfriend."

Skylar smirks back at Sherry, "Sorry doll, better luck next time." She reaches over and grabs a hold on Isabeau's hand, giving it a squeeze.

* * *

Ronald precedes Dean into a series of offices; Dean has removed his uniform jacket to reveal his regular clothing.

"Check behind the desk." Dean orders Ronald.

As Dean checks a back room, Ronald falls, yelling. Dean comes back out, eyes darting.

Ronald is lying on the floor next to a slimy pile of skin. He screams and stands, pointing his gun at it, "What the hell is that?"

Dean turns a lamp on the pile. He crouches down and groans, "Oh, great." He pauses, "When it changes form, it sheds its old skin. So, now it could be anybody."

Ronald picks up a piece of skin and smells it, "It's so, so weird. Its robot skin is so lifelike."

"Okay, let's get something straight. It's, it's not a Mandroid. It's a shapeshifter." Dean tells him, annoyed.

"Shapeshifter?" Ronald asks.

Dean nods, "Yeah. I mean, it's human, more or less. Has human drives, you know, and in this case it's money. But it generates its own skin. It can shape it to match someone else's features, you know, taller, shorter, male-"

"So it, it, it kills someone and then takes their place." Ronald guesses.

Dean shrugs, "Kills them, doesn't kill them, I don't think it really matters." He moves to the front of the desk.

Ronald gets up and points his gun at Dean, "What are you doing?"

Dean picks up a letter opener from the desk and examines it. He sighs in relief, "Nice."

He looks over at Ronald, "You remember the old werewolf stories? Pretty much came from these guys. Silver's the only thing I've seen that hurts them."

Dean strides out the door, "Come on, Ronald."

Ronald grimaces at the skin, then follows Dean, grinning.

* * *

Outside the bank, a helicopter, a S.W.A.T. police vehicle, and the Channel 8 News van join the scene outside.

A red car pulls up, and a middle-aged man in a suit and long coat gets out. He goes into the command van, where several other officers are seated around monitors, "How we doing?" The man, detective, asks.

A uniformed officer is stirring a cup of coffee, "Another day in paradise."

The detective takes off his coat, "No one's come out yet?"

"This guy locked himself in. First thing he did." The officer tells him.

The detective chuckles, "All right. Cut the power."

* * *

Ronald is following Dean down a wider hallway, still chuckling.

Dean looks back at him, "What are you, nuts?"

Ronald stops, causing Dean to do so as well, "That's just it. I'm not nuts. I mean, I was so scared that I was losing my marbles. But this is real! I mean, I, I, I was right! Except for the Mandroid thing. Thank you."

Dean nods, continuing forward, "Yeah, don't mention it."

Suddenly, the power cuts out; a few emergency lights click on.

Dean looks around, frustrated, "Dammit! No, no, no, no, no, no."

"What? What is it?" Ronald asks, confused.

"They cut the power. Probably their way of saying hi." Dean answers.

"Who?"

"Cops."

"The cops?!" Ronald exclaims.

Dean stops, turning to him, "Well, you weren't exactly a smooth criminal about this, Ron. I mean, you didn't even secure the security guard. He probably called them."

"Well, I, I didn't, I didn't think t-" Ronald stutters.

"All right, hang on, hang on, let's just take a breath here for a second, all right?" Dean interrupts him, "They - they've probably got us surrounded. They've cut the power to the cameras so there's no way of telling who the shapeshifter is."

Dean takes a breath, "It's not looking good, Ron."

Ronald flinches at a noise, bringing the rifle up.

"Did you hear that?" Dean asks.


	26. Nightshifter Pt.2

It's now dark in the vault as well, and a few of the hostages are fanning themselves. Isabeau was fanning Skylar with a stray folder. Skylar had taken off her jacket from the heat.

Isabeau still had her jacket on; the heat wasn't bothering her in the slightest.

Sherry is still babbling at the three of them, obviously the fact that Isabeau was dating Dean just flew over her head.

Sam continues to roll his eyes. He was no longer wearing the uniform and was in his regular clothes. He shares an unamused look with Isabeau.

Sherry smiles as she speaks, "Has your brother always been so, um, wonderful? I mean, staring down that gun. And you know the way - he played right into that psycho's crazy head, telling him what he wanted to hear, I mean,"

The three stare at her.

"He's like, a real hero or, or something." Sherry finishes.

Skylar groans, "Lady, seriously. He's dating her," She points to Isabeau, "If you think you're getting any, you are dead wrong."

"Plus, you're annoying the hell out of all of us, so please. For the love of god, shut up and keep it in your pants." Skylar glares at the woman, picking up another folder and fanning herself.

Ever since Isabeau started dating Sam and Dean, Skylar and the other girls became protective of the three's relationship. Anyone who even tried to come in between them, they were ready to kick ass.

Plus, even though they just meet Sam and Dean, they made Isabeau happy, and they weren't going to let anyone take that happiness away from her.

Sam smiles at Skylar with appreciation.

The door opens to reveal Dean who now has a handgun.

Sherry smiles, "Oh my god, you saved us! You saved us!"

Isabeau glares at her, "Really?"

"Actually, I just found a few more. Come on, everybody, let's go. Let's go." Dean commands.

Sherry stares in confusion as several more people, including the guard from earlier, are herded inside.

"What are you doing?" Sherry asks, confused.

"Sam, Beau, Sky, look, uh, Ronald and I need to talk to you guys." Dean says to the three of them.

Skylar puts her jacket back on as the three of them leave the vault and Dean shuts the door behind him, shrugging apologetically.

* * *

They all walk out to the main lobby of the bank, "It's shed its skin again. We don't know when - it could be in the halls, it could be in the vault." Dean tells them.

Sam huffs, "Great. You know, Dean, you are wanted by the police."

Dean scoffs with a laugh, "Yeah."

"So even if we do find this damn thing - how the hell are we gonna get out of here?" Sam asks.

Isabeau thinks, "Electricity."

"The power is off, Beau." Dean reminds her.

Isabeau shakes her head, "Doesn't have to be on for me to travel through the wires. All of us can make one sparky trip out of here."

Dean glances at everyone in their little circle, "Is that safe? For Sam and I?"

Skylar nods, "Should be. Really doesn't make a difference if you're like us or not."

Sam agrees, "We'd be okay, Dean. That's what Isabeau did with me when we arrested the first time. Though, that was with fire and not electricity."

Isabeau waves her hand dismissively, "Either way, it's the same thing."

Dean nods, "All right, I'm gonna do a sweep of the whole place, see if we can find any stragglers. Once we get everyone together we've got to play a little game of find-the-freak, so… here."

He hands Sam and Isabeau silver letter openers, "Found a couple more of these for you guys."

He pauses at Skylar not knowing how silver affected her, "I don't know-"

Skylar cut him off taking the last extra letter opener, her skin lightly hissing at the contact, "Silver doesn't really 'hurt' me. It just stings a little, but nothing life threatening on my skin. Still kills though."

Dean looks over at Isabeau to confirm. She nods.

Dean sighs, "All right. Now stay here, make sure Ronald doesn't hurt anybody, okay? Help him manage the situation."

"Help him manage? Are you insane!" Sam's voice rises in outrage.

Alerted by Sam's raised voice, Ronald looks over. Dean looks past Sam and gives Ronald a grinning thumbs-up.

"Look, I know this isn't going the way we wanted." Dean says quietly.

Sam nods shouting, "Understatement!"

"But if we invite the cops in right now, Ronald gets arrested, you two get arrested, the shifter gets away, probably never find it again, okay?" Skylar sides with Dean on the situation.

Sam looks at Skylar in disbelief and then looks at Isabeau.

Isabeau sheepishly shrugs, "They got a point, Stretch. I mean, not only are they going to arrest you two, but they're going to question why the hell an honorary officer, the same one who 'worked' on Dean's case before, just happens to be in the same bank as you guys."

Ronald is peering out the window, in plain view, and Sam gestures at him in exasperation.

Dean looks over, "Ron! Out of the light!"

Dean looks back with a nervous chuckle.

"Seriously?!" Sam exasperates.

"Yeah, Ron's game plan was a bad plan, I mean, it was a bit of a crazy plan, but right now crazy's the only game in town, okay?" Dean asks.

Isabeau sighs, "Alright, Dean take Skylar with you. She'll be more of a help to you than just waiting here."

Skylar nods, "You got it, Isa." She smiles up at Dean, "Come on, De." She calls him by his nickname that the entire coven coined for him.

Dean slaps Sam on the shoulder and gives Isabeau a quick peck on the lips and leaves with Skylar.

Sam sighs, leans back, and rolls his eyes at Ronald, "Hi, Ronald."

Isabeau snorts at the looks they threw at each other, "This is going to be fun."

* * *

Dean and Skylar creep along the dark hallways with flashlights, listening for sounds and watching for movement.

Dean glances down at the silver letter open in Skylar's hand, seeing a little bit of smoke rising from it, "You okay?"

Skylar hums in question and then follows Dean's gaze, "Oh, yeah. Stings a little bit." She switches the letter opener to her other hand and shows Dean the burns on her hand fading away rapidly, healing itself.

"It still burns me, but not enough to have me screaming in pain. The witch side of me kind of eases some of the pain." Skylar explains, placing the letter opener back in hand.

"Isabeau told us about that, how the genetics mix and slightly change some things." Dean recalls, "But silver can still kill you?"

Skylar nods, "Well, yeah. It's really the only thing that can. Our witch side doesn't affect the way we're killed."

Dean furrows his brow, "So… what about elementals?"

Skylar ah's in realization, "You're asking because of Isabeau aren't you?"

Dean clears his throat, "Yeah."

"Well, elementals can be killed using the other elements; drowning, electrocuted, burned, being suffocated, the list goes on. Isabeau can be killed using a lot of those methods, but she can never be burned because she's fire. And now with her lightning element she can't be electrocuted anymore." Skylar explains.

She pauses, "Though, Isabeau can still be killed just by being severely injured; like what yellow eyes did to her. I mean, same for all of us. If you beat us down enough, we're just like any other human."

Skylar then smirks, "By the way, I know you and Sam are curious." She says, changing the subject.

Dean looks down at her confused, "About what?"

"Oh, you know. I've seen the way you and Sam look at Isabeau when she is intimate with me. The other girls have seen it too." Skylar starts to say.

"It's nice to know that you two are completely fine with Isabeau still having a sexual relationship with us while she's dating you guys."

Dean looks away from her, "Well, you're a coven with a strong bond. And… I love Isabeau. If it makes her happy, I can't take that away from her."

"I also know that one of the reasons you two are okay with it is because you and Sam find it hot." Skylar adds in with an all knowing smirk.

Dean chuckles, "Do we make it obvious?"

Skylar giggles, "Kind of, but I would think you two would be jealous that someone else other than you and Sam are getting her off."

Dean pauses in the hallway, "Again, you're her coven, and we trust her with you guys and vice versa. Plus, well I don't know about Sam and I really don't want to, but what kind of porn do you think Isabeau and I sometimes watch together?"

Dean couldn't believe that was outright telling Skylar what Isabeau and him did together behind closed doors. But hey, their relationship wasn't normal, so why would their conversations be?

Skylar laughs in utter delight, "I knew there was a reason why I liked you!"

"You didn't before?"

"Eh." Skylar jokes causing Dean to shove her playfully before getting back on track.

* * *

The hostages are fanning themselves again, and Sherry looks angry. The guard begins clutching his chest and breathing hard.

Sam opens the vault door, Isabeau and Ronald standing behind him, "I'm going to leave this open. Give you guys some fresh air, all right? But no one leaves this vault." Sam tells them.

The phone rings, and Ronald spins around, panicked.

"I don't understand. Why are you helping him?" Sherry asks Sam and Isabeau.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Isabeau says.

Ronald picks up the phone, "Hello?"

"I think I gotta get out of here!" The guard says in pain.

"Sir, I'm very sorry, but you're just going to have to stay put, all right?" Sam asks him.

"What? What do you mean, demands?" Ronald asks on the phone.

Sam and Isabeau look back at him. "Ronald! Hang up!" Isabeau exclaims.

"No, I, I'm not a bank robber, I, I, I-" Ronald stutters.

"I've got to really get out of here." The guard calls out again.

"Sir, you can't leave." Sam says.

"Kind of a crime fighter, I guess." Ronald continues.

Isabeau grits her teeth, "Ronald

The guard is struggling to the door; several other hostages including a well-built middle-aged man, help him.

"Look-" Sam addresses the hostages but stops himself, walking over to Ronald.

"No, I'm acting alone." Ronald says.

Sam sighs and goes over to the phone, slamming it to hang up, "Ronald? The less the cops know, the better."

"Hey! I think this dude's having a heart attack!" The man calls out.

"We need a doctor!" A woman shouts.

Isabeau huffs, "Great. Could be our guy. Could be a trick." A part of her wanted to go over and help, but the logical side of her was telling her not to.

"You just going to let the man die?" The man asks, still holding the guard up.

"No one's dying in here." Sam shouts.

"Cover the door." Sam tells Ronald and gestures Isabeau to come over to him.

Sam snatches the phone as Ronald covers the vault door and Isabeau goes over to stand next to her boyfriend.

* * *

The detective is on the phone with Sam; the officer is listening in as well. "Can you tell me how many hostages this guy's taken?" The detective asks.

"Look, one of the people could be having heart trouble. You need to send in a paramedic." Sam tells him.

"Just stay calm, sir. We'll have you folks out of there." The detective tells him.

"Just send in a paramedic, okay? And don't try anything else. Please." Sam shouts.

Isabeau places a hand on his arm, "Calm down." Sam stares down at her, placing a hand on the crook of her neck, rubbing her skin softly.

"Paramedic? We don't have time for that, man!" The man holding the guard up, shouts as Sam hangs up the phone.

"Listen, I, I, I'm sorry, okay? I am. But nobody's getting out." Ronald says.

"He's dying right in front of you."

"Help!" The guard begs.

* * *

In a hallway, Dean and Skylar stop and look up, seeing a ceiling panel askew.

Dean picks up a coat rack and begins poking it. He dislodges it and a naked body falls to the floor.

Skylar turns it over; it is the man who has been helping the guard. His throat has been slit.

* * *

The man, shapeshifter, is still holding up the guard, who is panicked and breathing painfully. "Come on, man, you've gotta unlock the front door. We've got to get him out of here." The shapeshifter says.

Ronald cocks the rifle, "Both of you stay where you are."

Dean and Skylar return and whispers, inaudible, to Sam and Isabeau. The shapeshifter watches them warily.

Sam goes into the vault, "You know what, Ronald? He's right, we've got to get this man outside. Come on. I've got you."

He takes the guard from the shapeshifter.

"Yeah, yeah, let me help you." The shapeshifter offers.

Isabeau comes into the vault, helping Sam, "Oh, we got him, it's, it's cool. Thanks."

Sam and Isabeau get the guard out of the way; Dean and Skylar glare at the shapeshifter and approach the vault.

"Thank you. Thank you." The guard repeatedly says to Sam and Isabeau.

Sam nods, "Sure."

"Thank you." The guard thanks again.

Dean walks up to the shapeshifter, Skylar staying behind, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" He asks.

The shapeshifter comes out, "You got the gun, man. I mean, whatever."

As he gets close enough, he attacks Dean, knocking him to the ground. He goes to attack Skylar, but she ducks and takes a swing at him.

The shapeshifter grabs her upcoming fist and turns her around, slamming her head against the wall and throws her to the ground and runs into the dark of the hallways.

Dean gets up, helping Skylar up as well as Ronald chases after the shapeshifter. Dean and Skylar follow a little bit behind him.

"Stop! Come back here!" Ronald races into the lobby which puts him in the open again.

Sam, Isabeau and the guard turn back to see the commotion. Sam and Isabeau see a laser sight on his back.

Sam shouts at him, "Get down! Now!"

The sniper fires, hitting Ronald squarely in the chest. As he falls, Dean and Skylar duck behind a low wall, and the four watch in horror.

Ronald slumps to his knees, then to the floor; dead.

* * *

The hostages run out of the vault as Dean and Skylar crawls behind another low wall nearer where Ronald fell.

Sam and Isabeau ducks down beside them, all of them panting. Sam pulls out the key and hands it to Dean, "Here. Take care of the guard. We're going after the shifter."

Sam and Skylar run off, and Dean and Isabeau crawl over towards Ronald, "Sorry, Ron. You did a real good job tracking this thing, you really did." Dean says.

He takes the rifle and, looking around furtively, runs off towards the guard. Isabeau follows behind him.

* * *

Sam and Skylar approach a broom closet and open it suddenly; it's empty. They hear something behind them and turn.

Sherry screams; she and the other hostages have gathered, trying to escape. "Please don't hurt us!" She screams.

"You shouldn't be back here right now! You're in danger! Now go back to the vault. Now!" Skylar orders them and they run back.

* * *

Holding the guard in front of him and the rifle in his other hand, Dean approaches the front door slowly. Outside, several paramedics pull a stretcher out of an ambulance. "Everything's going to be alright." Dean says.

The guard opens the door as S.W.A.T has their guns trained on them, "No, don't shoot! Don't shoot! Please!" The guard begs.

"No, no, no, no, no! Back up! Don't even think about it!" Dean shouts. Isabeau stands behind him, watching the scene playout and is careful to not let anyone see her.

"Please! Don't shoot!" The guard begs again.

Dean looks around at the media frenzy outside, "Son of a- I said get back! Now!" He shouts.

* * *

"One of the hostages. He seems to have taken over the situation." The officer turns toward the detective.

"Excuse me?" The detective asks.

* * *

**"** **Okay, go, go!" Dean pushes the guard.**

The guard stumbles out as Dean draws back inside, shutting the door and latching it, "We are so screwed." Dean mutters.

Isabeau swallows thickly, "Tell me about it."

* * *

Somewhere in one of the stairways, Sam and Skylar have found another shed skin. Sam calls Dean and Isabeau, putting it on speaker for Skylar to hear.

Dean picks up his cell and puts it on speaker for Isabeau to hear as well, "Yeah?" Dean answers.

"Slipped his skin." Sam informs them.

"What?" Isabeau asks, surprised.

"Yeah, bastard shifts fast. A lot faster than the one in St. Louis." Skylar says.

"God, it's like playing the shell game. It could be anybody. Again." Dean rubs his face in annoyance.

"Yeah, I think most of the employees are out of the vault by now." Sam says.

"All right, you two search every inch of this place, we're gonna go round everybody up." Dean hangs up.

* * *

Outside the bank, a black sedan and several black trucks pull onto the scene.

"Crap." The officer says inside the command center.

"What?" The detective asks.

"The Feds are here."

"Oh, crap." The detective echos the officer.

A mousy, bespectacled man in an FBI jacket enters and stares at them; then a tall, commanding, shaven-headed black man pushes past.

"Lieutenant Robards." The man asks.

"Yeah." The detective, Robards, confirms.

"Special Agent Henriksen." The man introduces himself, shaking hands with Robards.

"Let me guess. You're lead dog now, but you would just love my full cooperation." Robards guesses.

"I don't give a rat's ass what you do, you can go get a donut and bang your wife for all I care. What I do need is your S.W.A.T. team locked and loaded." Henriksen orders.

"Listen, Agent. Something's not right about this. It's, um... it's not going down like a usual heist." Robards says.

"That's because it isn't one. You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you? There is a monster in that bank, Robards." Henriksen says.

* * *

Sam and Skylar continue to search through the bank.

"So, uh…" Skylar starts. Sam glances down at her as she begins to speak.

Skylar clears her throat, "I know this is not the best time to bring this up, but I talked about this with Dean."

She takes a breath, "You really okay with Isabeau still having a sexual relationship with us? Her coven?"

Sam thinks about it for a second, "I… yeah. I mean, you guys have a bond, right? You formed it before Dean and I got into a relationship with Isabeau."

"Yeah, but, any other partner would get jealous and would be against it." Skylar points out.

Sam shrugs with a scoff, "I guess Dean and I are different then. I mean, polyamorous relationships aren't really normal in society, so our relationship defies normal. But… we also know what you guys and Isabeau have is love on a different level from ours."

Sam pauses, "If it were any other man or woman, yeah, Dean and I get jealous, but it's fine with you guys."

Skylar hums, "And you don't find it at all a turn on?"

Sam stutters in shock, "W-what?"

Skylar chuckles, "A turn on, Samuel. Dean already admitted that it's sort of a turn on for him. Hell, apparently him and Isabeau watch porn like that."

Sam licks his lips, "Can't say Isabeau and I don't do the same."

Skylar smirks, "Isabeau picked good."

* * *

Dean and Isabeau herd the hostages back into the vault.

"And I thought you were one of the good guys." Sherry says, looking back at Dean.

Isabeau rolls her eyes and pushes Dean out of the way, "Look, Sherry. Everything's gonna be alright. This will all be over soon, okay?"

Dean shuts the vault door and spins the lock. He looks over at Isabeau, "Something happened between you two?"

Isabeau plays with her rosary, "She kept on gushing over you and totally ignoring the fact that you were my boyfriend. I swear I almost laid into her."

Dean chuckles, "I only got eyes for you sweetheart."

Isabeau snorts, "I know, Dearie."

If they weren't in this situation, Dean would've one hundred percent pushed Isabeau up against the wall.

The landline rings, breaking Isabeau and Dean from their thoughts. Dean sets down his handgun and answers it, "Yeah?"

"This is Special Agent Victor Henriksen." Henriksen says over the phone from the command center.

Isabeau's eyes widened at the name as Dean speaks, "Yeah, listen, I'm not really in the negotiating mood right now, so-"

Henriksen interrupts him, "Good. Me neither. It's my job to bring you in. Alive's a bonus but not necessary."

Dean blinks, "Whoa. Kinda harsh for a Federal Agent, don't you think?"

"Well, you're not the typical suspect, are you, Dean?" Henriksen asks.

Dean and Isabeau share a look, horrified.

"I want you and Sam out here, unarmed. Or we come in. And yes, I know about Sam too. Bonnie to your Clyde." Henriksen says.

Isabeau breathes deeply, playing with her rosary. This was not good.

Dean smiles nervously, pulling Isabeau close to him just like Sam did in the vault previously, "Yeah, well, that part's true, but how'd you even know we were here?"

"Go screw yourself, that's how I knew." Henriksen answers, "It's become my job to know about you, Dean. I've been looking for you for weeks now. I know about the murder in St. Louis, I know about the Houdini act you pulled in Baltimore. I know about the desecrations and the thefts. I know about your dad."

Isabeau felt Dean's grip slightly tighten, "Hey, you don't know crap about my dad." He says darkly.

"Ex-marine, raised his kids on the road, cheap motels, backwood cabins. Real paramilitary survivalist type. I just can't get a handle on what type of whacko he was. White supremacist, Timmy McVeigh, to-may-to, to-mah-to." Henriksen explains.

Isabeau's hand slides underneath Dean's shirt and rubs small circles on the small of his back as he speaks, "You got no right talking about my dad like that. He was a hero."

"Yeah. Right. Sure sounds like it. You have one hour to make a decision or we come through those doors full automatic." Henriksen says. Dean hears a click as Henriksen hangs up the phone.

Dean pounds his forehead in frustration as he hangs up the phone.

* * *

"Scramble your men, five minutes, then we go in." Henriksen orders Robards.

Robards furrows his brow, "What? Henriksen, they've let out one hostage so far. They've hurt no one as far as we can tell."

"You don't know these Winchesters. They're dangerous, smart, and expertly trained. So much so, that they have highly regarded honorary officer, Isabeau Fitzgerald, as a hostage." Henriksen informs them.

Henriksen knew Isabeau from a few years back on a case he had in Sioux Falls. He saw how skilled of an officer she was and gained respect for the young woman. He didn't want to take the risk of attempting to contact Isabeau from inside, it could've put her in more danger than she already was.

Robards shakes his head, "We can't risk the lives of all those people and an officer."

"Trust me, Dean's a greater risk to 'em than we are."

"This is crazy."

Henriksen nods, "Crazy's in there. And I just hung up on it."

* * *

Sam and Skylar see blood on the floor in front of a closet. He nods to Skylar who gets herself ready for any possible attack.

Sam opens it quickly, and the half-dressed body of Sherry falls out. Her throat is slit.

Skylar sighs, "Dammit."

* * *

Sam and Skylar return to the vault room, where Dean and Isabeau are waiting; the vault is shut.

Isabeau pulls Skylar to the side and has a hushed conversation with her.

"Hey. We've got a bit of a problem outside." Dean says.

Sam chuckles, "We got a problem in here."

Skylar punches the wall nearby, leaving a dent in it, "Damn it, Isa. Are you sure?" Sam and Dean look over with worry.

Isabeau nods, "Positive."

"What's wrong?" Sam asks.

Isabeau huffs, "I'll you later."

Sam and Dean give her a look.

"We have more pressing matters right now, boys. Please." Isabeau begs.

* * *

The four open the vault, the hostages flinch and look around. Dean walks in with the others behind him, "Sherry? We're gonna let you go."

"What? Why me?" Sherry asks, confused.

"Uh, as a show of good faith to the feds, come on." Dean commands.

Sherry backs away, "Uh... I think I'd, I'd rather stay here, with the others."

Dean approaches, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist."

She looks at them warily while Sam is fingering the silver blade. After a long pause she approaches them.

* * *

Isabeau and Skylar enter the hallway first and Sam and Dean push Sherry back to the hallway behind them. "I thought you were letting me go." Sherry asks.

Dean shoves her forward, holding her head and forcing her to look at the body. She begins screaming hysterically.

Dean looks at her as she pulls away, "Is that community theater, or are you just naturally that good?"

Isabeau and Skylar's eyes glow violet, "This is the last time you become anybody. Ever." Skylar hisses out.

Sherry steps back from all of them, "No! Oh god! Ohhhh…" She faints.

The four of them stare at her, baffled, then back at the other body. Skylar and Isabeau's eyes stop glowing.

Dean removes the rifle from his shoulder and kneels over Sherry. He raises the blade with a shrug, but Sam puts out a hand to stop him, "Dean, wait, wait, wait. What's the advantage of this plan? I mean, fainting now wouldn't help it survive."

Dean looks back at the other body, "Huh."

Isabeau narrows her eyes and goes to kneel over the other body, then looks up, distracted by a noise.

The body opens its eyes; it is the shapeshifter. It lashes out and grabs Isabeau by the throat. As she struggles, stabbing at it, Sherry wakes up.

She screams again, "Ahhhh! Oh, god…" Skylar goes over to her, gathering her in her arms.

Isabeau looks over as Dean tries to pry the shapeshifters hands off of Isabeau, "Get her outta here! Now!" Isabeau chokes out.

The two continue struggling with the shapeshifter as Skylar, Sam and Sherry leave.

Dean and Isabeau struggle for a moment, then the shapeshifter knees Dean in the side, kicks Isabeau's chest, knocking them down and bolts.

Isabeau groans as she gets up. "You okay, Beau?" Dean asks.

She coughs, getting air back in her lungs, "I'm good. You?"

Dean nods, getting up, "Let's go."

* * *

Elsewhere, the S.W.A.T. team creeps through broken glass and into the bank. Isabeau and Dean hear them coming and duck around a corner to avoid one.

* * *

In another hallway, they find Sherry, who backs against the wall, terrified, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I work here! I work here. Please... get me out! Get me out of here..."

Several of them guide her out and two others continue down the hallway. They see Sam and Skylar, who stop.

"Freeze! Let me see your hands." One of the S.W.A.T agents yell.

* * *

Dean and Isabeau watch as the S.W.A.T team walks away and continue to look for the shapeshifter.

Isabeau turns and gets slammed in the face by the shapeshifters hand and she goes down.

* * *

Sam and Skylar turn abruptly and take out the two armored policemen. Skylar smiles at Sam, "Nice."

* * *

In the boiler room, Dean settles into a fighting stance while Isabeau pulls herself up from the ground.

Dean swipes at the shapeshifter with the silver blade, and it avoids the attack, retaliating. They tussle; he gets in two good head-butts.

He slashes at her again; she grabs his wrist and wrenches it up, and he grasps her forearm; her skin slips off stickily, "Gross." He grimaces.

She kicks him hard between the legs, then several times in the face.

Behind her, Isabeau swipes her leg at the shapeshifters legs, sending her to the ground with a thud.

Dean recovers, he and the shapeshifter struggle for a moment before he manages to ram the silver blade into her chest.

The shapeshifter groans and goes limp on the ground, dead.

Isabeau stares down at the shapeshifters dead body. The two look back when they hear a sound and flinch. Dean then turns and kneels over the shapeshifter.

Isabeau inhales, "Dean, I'm gonna stay."

Dean looks up at her, "What?"

"If Henriksen is in charge of this and he knows I'm in here, I can't leave with you guys. I need to lead him to believe that I was a hostage in here just like everyone else. Get out of here with Sam and Skylar." Isabeau explains.

Before Dean could object, a uniformed man enters the room with a flashlight and stops. Dean and Isabeau look back, panting.

* * *

Preceded by several officers, Henrilsen enters the building, gun out. He strides down the main hallway. Officers are going in front of him, looking in rooms, and calling, "CLEAR! CLEAR!" As they go through the rooms.

They find the body of the first man, "Male, African American. Goner."

* * *

In the boiler room, another officer is kneeling in front of the shapeshifters Sherry-shaped body.

The officer looks up to another officer, "I'm telling you, man. I just walked her out of the bank. She must have a twin sister or something."

"Ma'am. Are you alright?" An officer asks, as he helps a semi-conscious Isabeau up from the ground.

Isabeau groans, acting for the officers, "I'm okay. Thank you." The officer keeps her steady as she pretends to be weak.

* * *

An officer comes up behind Henriksen, "Sir? My team said it's secure. They're gone."

"You tell your team to tear it apart! The ducts, the ceilings, the furnace, everything." Henriksen commands.

"I don't think that's necessary."

Henriksen turns around, "Why not?"

The officer takes Henriksen to a broom closet, where two men are stripped to their underwear and handcuffed back-to-back on the floor.

Henriksen nods in chagrin and frustration.

"Sir! We found someone." The officer helping Isabeau calls out to Henriksen as they come walking down the hallway.

Henriksen sighs in relief, meeting them halfway, "Thought you didn't let anyone get one step ahead of you, Fitzgerald." He was relieved to see Isabeau alive and safe.

Isabeau chuckles, "I thought we decided no last names, Victor?"

Henriksen scoffs, "Still the same as ever, even when your life is in danger." He looks over to the officer supporting her, "Get officer Fitzgerald into a secure room and call in the paramedics to check her over."

The officer nods, "Yes, sir."

* * *

Two men and a woman in S.W.A.T. armor with weapons have exited the bank and are running up stairs on the outside of a building.

They exit the stairs and turn into the deck of a parking garage. The two men walk to a car - the impala as the woman walks toward a lone motorcycle.

The two get into the car and pull off their masks, panting, revealing Sam and Dean.

The woman morphs into Skylar as she mounts her bike, her eyes glowing silver and sharing a look with Sam and Dean.

Tendrils of electricity shoot out from exposed wiring in the garage and in flash, Isabeau appears from the tendrils, walking towards Skylar.

* * *

Henriksen walks to a room with paramedics behind him, "Isabeau Fitzgerald, 24 years old and honorary officer from Sioux Falls. She was found in the boiler room unconscious. She's been in and out since they got her up here."

He opens the door, walking inside and freezes when he sees no one in the room.

Isabeau was gone.

* * *

Isabeau and Skylar embrace in a hug and give one another a passionate kiss on the lips, knowing it would be a while until they next see each other.

Sam and Dean watch as the two girls pull away. Isabeau walks over to the impala while Skylar throws on her helmet, giving the three of them a two fingered salute and revving off, leaving them alone.

Isabeau climbs into the backseat, slamming the impala door shut and leaning forward. All of them sit in silence for a moment, looking somber.

"We are so screwed." Dean states.

Sam nods minutely. Isabeau rubs her face, knowing that this whole hunt was going to one day, bite her in the ass.

Dean starts the car while Isabeau climbs from the backseat into the front seat, in between both brothers. Exhausted, they pull out of the parking garage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've been gone for so long! I was in the hospital last week and my heart arrhythmia came back. But, I'm home now and doing okay. They gave me a monitor for my heart, so they're monitoring me for the next month before I go back to college just to make sure that they don't need to do anything drastic before a leave.
> 
> I promise you that you will have daily or every other day updates. I want to finish season 2 before I go off to college by the end of the month.
> 
> Also, don't forget to check out "Everything In-Between". They are short stories of what happens in the life of Isabeau between the episodes and even will have some chapters on Isabeau's childhood. It will also focus around hers, Sam and Dean's relationship (Fluffy and maybe even some smut moments between them). It will also show Isabeau interacting with her coven members and family.
> 
> I will also accept requests for that story if you want to see something specific moment between the three of them. I will update it as I write the "Party of Three" series, so nothing will be spoiled and until it's published in the main series.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	27. Houses of the Holy Pt.1

Gloria is seated quietly on her bed in a psych ward. Her hair is straight and her face clean; she's wearing a bathrobe and reading a book held in her left hand.

The door opens behind her and she turns, "Good morning. You're not the usual guy."

Sam is in white scrubs and holding a clipboard, "No, uh, just filling in. So, how you feeling today, Gloria?" Sam walks into the room and stands in front of her.

Gloria places her book down and smiles, "I've never felt better."

"So, no disturbances lately?" Sam asks.

"You mean am I stark raving cuckoo for cocoa puffs?" Gloria jokes.

Sam shakes his head, "I didn't say that."

"It's all right. I know what people must think."

Sam glances down, "What do _you_ think?"

"I think what I saw was real." Gloria answers.

Sam looks around, pulls up a chair and sets the clipboard down. He leans forward, elbows on knees, and gives her an intensely earnest look, "I'd like to know what you saw."

Gloria takes a moment, "It was all over the news. I stabbed a man in the heart."

Sam blinks, "Why would you do that?"

Gloria nods, "Because it was God's will."

"Did God talk to you?"

Gloria scoffs with a smile, "No. I get the sense God's a little busy for house calls. No, he, he sent someone."

"Someone?"

"An angel." Gloria answers, "It came to me in this beautiful white light, and it filled me with this... feeling. It's, it's hard to describe."

"And this angel…" Sam trails off.

"Spoke God's Word." Gloria finishes.

"And the Word was to kill someone?" Sam asks.

Gloria nods, tears pooling in her eyes, "I know, it sounds strange. But what I did was very important. I helped him smite an evil man. I was chosen... For redemption."

"This man you stabbed, did the angel give you his name?"

"No, he just told me to wait for the sign. And the very next day I saw it, right beside the man's doorway. And I knew." Gloria says.

"Why him?" Sam asks.

Gloria shakes her head, "I just know what the angel told me. That this man was guilty to his deepest foundations. And that was good enough for me."

* * *

Dean and Isabeau are sitting on one of the motel beds, which is vibrating. The sheets are only covering their bottom halves; Dean wearing just his boxers and Isabeau only wearing her black lace bra and underwear.

Isabeau is sitting in between Dean's legs, back pressed up against his bare chest he leans against the headboard. Isabeau plays with Dean's fingers in her lap, studying every little detail about them.

Dean blissfully stares at Isabeau as she touches his hands in anyway she liked. Seeing her like this, caught up in the moment; he found it heartwarming. She often would go into little trances and just stare at him or Sam, observing their little habits, quirks or even just studying their physical features.

He often caught Isabeau staring at his face and when he would ask why, she would just tell him to hold still so she could count how many freckles he had. So far, Isabeau could never finish counting them.

As Sam enters, Dean nor Isabeau notice him. Sam stops for a moment, taking in the scene before him. He very rarely saw his older brother like this; like the world around him was nothing and the only thing that mattered was the woman in his arms. Dean was in utter bliss.

Isabeau did that for them, made it seem like it was just the three of them in this crazy, ass-backwards world. It was beautiful.

Sam clears his throat, "Hey." Isabeau blinks away from Dean's hands and looks over at Sam with an affectionate smile.

Dean quickly diminishes his blissful look and grins over at Sam who walks over to them, "Hey. Man, you gotta try this. I mean there really is magic in the," Dean does air quotations with his fingers, "Magic Fingers."

Sam shifts his eyes away, "Dean, you're enjoying that way too much. It's kind of making me uncomfortable."

Isabeau slips out from under the covers and walks on the bed over to Sam, looking down at him with the added height and a smile, "Hi you."

Sam looks up at her with a small smile, wrapping his arms around her bare waist, "Hey."

Isabeau leans down, her arms hooking around his shoulder and placing a kiss on his lips. Her giggles come out muffled against Sam's lips as he picks her off the bed and places her onto the ground.

Dean shakes his head, covering himself back up with the sheets, "What am I supposed to do? I mean, you've got me on lockdown here. I'm bored out of my skull. Isabeau is the only one keeping me sane."

Sam pulls his lips away from Isabeau and chuckles, "Hey, you were the bank robber on the eleven o'clock news, not me. We can't risk you just walking into a government facility."

Dean hums, a little upset, "Hmm."

Sam waves a dismissing hand at Dean as he pulls away from Isabeau and turns to go into the bathroom.

Isabeau just snorts and starts picking up her discarded clothing on the floor and also throwing Dean's clothing on the bed as well.

As Isabeau starts to put on her clothing, the bed shutters to stillness. Dean looks over with a groan, "Aw, dammit! That was my last quarter. Hey! You got any quarters?"

"No!" Sam shouts from the bathroom.

Dean pushes away the covers, getting up to put on his jeans and grabs his shirt. He throws on his shirt while crossing the room and leans on the doorway to the bathroom where Sam is washing his hands.

Isabeau walks over as well, now dressed in her jeans and baggy band t-shirt that she semi-tucked in, "So did you get in to see that crazy hooker?" She asks.

Sam dries off his hands as he turns to them, "Yeah. Gloria Sitnick. And I'm not so sure she's crazy."

Dean purses his lips, "But she seriously believes that she was... touched by an angel?"

Sam nods, "Yeah. Blinding light, feelings of spiritual ecstasy, the works. I mean, she's living in a locked ward and she's totally at peace."

"Oh yeah, you're right, sounds completely sane. What about the dude she stabbed?" Dean asks.

Sam thinks, "Uh, Carl Gully. She said she killed him because he was evil."

"Was he?"

Sam shrugs, "I don't know. I mean, I couldn't find any dirt on him. I mean, he didn't have a criminal record, he worked at the campus library, had lots of friends. He was a churchgoer." Sam walks past the both of them, taking off his jacket.

Isabeau hums, "Hm. So then Gloria's just your standard-issue wacko. I mean," She whistles, "She wouldn't be the first nutjob in history to kill in the name of religion. Know what I mean?" She asks, leaning up against the wall.

"No, but she's the second in town to murder because an angel told them to. Little bit odd, don't ya think?" Sam asks the two of them.

"Well, little odd yes, supernatural maybe. But angels? I don't think so." Dean shakes his head. Isabeau purses her lips, keeping quiet. Should she tell them?

Sam shakes his at him, "Why not?"

"'Cuz there's no such thing, Sam." Dean says as if it's obvious.

Isabeau folds her arms, biting her lip. She hasn't told them about Olivia or Carmen being demon hybrids, so she was gonna keep the fact that Naysa and Emily, and technically Clara were angel hybrids too… for now. Until the moment was right.

Sam chuckles in disbelief, "Dean, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything else we've ever hunted."

"Yeah, you know what? There's a ton of lore on unicorns too. In fact, I hear that they, they ride on silver moonbeams, and they shoot rainbows out of their ass." Dean jabs.

Sam sits down on one of the beds, "Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?" He asks, total deadpanned.

Isabeau coughs out a small laugh and hides a smile behind her hand.

Dean faintly smiles, "That's cute. I'm just saying, man, there's just some legends that you just, you file under 'bullcrap'." Dean says, taking a seat down in one of the motel chairs.

Isabeau stares at him amused, "And you've got angels on the 'bullcrap' list." She asks, taking a seat next to Sam on the bed.

"Yep." Dean confirms as he puts on his shoes.

"Why?" Sam asks.

Dean looks up, "Because I've never seen one."

"So what?"

"So I believe in what I can see." Dean answers.

Isabeau sighs, "Dean! You and Sam have seen things that most people couldn't even dream about. Hell, _I'm_ something that most people don't even think could be real."

"Exactly. With our own eyes. That's hard proof, okay?" Dean shakes his head, "But in all this time I have never seen anything that looks like an angel. And don't you think that if they existed that we would have crossed paths with them? Or at least know someone that crossed paths with them?"

Isabeau was about to speak up but frowned when Dean continued on his raint, "No. This is a, a demon or a spirit. You know, they find people a few fries short of a happy meal, and they trick them into killing these randoms."

Sam stares at him, "Maybe."

Dean rolls his eyes, "Can we just — I'm going stir-crazy man. Hey, let's go by Gloria's apartment, huh?" Dean gets up from his seat.

"I was just there. Nothing. No sulfur, no EMF…" Sam explains.

Dean frowns, "You didn't see any fluffy white wing feathers?" Dean sits back down on the other bed.

Isabeau raises a brow. Most angels had black wings, though Clara and her mother, Ursula, had white; they were cherubims after all.

Sam sighs, "But Gloria did say the angel gave her a sign, right beside Carl Gully's doorway."

"Could be something at his house; it's worth checking out." Dean says eagerly.

Isabeau sighs, "I'll get my shoes on."

* * *

Dean is driving as they pull up in front of Carl Gully's house. It is a moderate single-family home with steps leading up to the front door; to the left of the door is a plastic angel figure.

They get out, Isabeau and Sam waiting on the sidewalk and as Dean mounts the steps, he sees the plastic angel figurine, "Oh hey, Sam. I think I found it." He gestures to the angel, "It's a sign from up above."

Isabeau and Sam glance at each other. Isabeau thinks for a moment then pulls out her cell, "I'm gonna make a call." Isabeau walks a little bit away from Sam and Dean, dialing a number and pressing her phone up against her ear.

Sam watches as she stops a little bit away from them, far enough that he couldn't hear who Isabeau was talking to or about what.

Isabeau bites her lip as a voice response from the other line. "Hey, Isa." A female voice answers.

"Hey, Naysa. Think you could make a quick trip down to where I am? We might be dealing with some, uh, angel business." Isabeau explains, careful not to speak too loudly.

Naysa takes a deep breath, "You're kidding? Angels? They rarely show themselves, Isa."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "I know, I know. Just, please. I could really use another set of eyes on this, preferably one who is part angel."

Naysa sighs, "Okay. Are you alone? I can just fly to you."

Isabeau glances over at Sam and Dean, "No, I'm not alone. I don't exactly want to tell them that angels actually do exist… not yet at least. But, I'll let you know when you can show up without them seeing."

"You got it. I'll be waiting. Love you." Naysa says.

Isabeau softly smiles, "I love you too." She hangs up her phone and walks back over to Sam.

"Good?" Sam asks.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, hope you guys don't mind a fourth pair of eyes possibly checking into this with us."

"Who's coming down?" Sam asks.

"Naysa, she's, uh, itching to get in on a hunt." Isabeau lies. She hated lying to them about what some of the girls were.

Dean peers in the window, "Well, I think I learned a valuable lesson: Always take down your Christmas decorations after New Year's, or you might get filleted by a hooker from God. Ha." Dean comes down the steps and stops in front of Sam and Isabeau.

Sam rolls his eyes, "I'm laughing on the inside."

Sam wanders around back, through a gate, and Dean and Isabeau follow; they find a wooden storm cellar. "You know, Gloria said the guy was guilty to his deepest foundations." Sam informs them.

Isabeau tilts her head, "You think she literally meant the foundation?"

* * *

Sam and Dean open the creaking door, letting Isabeau go down the steps first, then following her, shining flashlights.

They look around and it appears to be a normal storm cellar. Dean hums, looking around, "Hm."

Sam notices scratches on a wall near the floor and he leans over to get a closer look, "Hey."

Isabeau looks over, "You got something?" Her and Dean walk over.

Sam digs at the wall and pulls something out.

"What is it?" Dean asks.

"It's a fingernail." Sam says.

The three look at each other and Dean goes over to pull two shovels from the wall and him and Sam begin to dig.

Isabeau takes a deep breath from a little bit behind Sam and Dean. She reaches under her shirt and presses down on the small, blacked-out butterfly tattoo. It glows as Isabeau's eyes glow violet, "Naysa." Isabeau barely whispers.

Isabeau removes her hand and the tattoo and her eyes stop glowing.

* * *

Later, a deep pit has been completed to reveal a pile of skeletons. "So much for the innocent churchgoing librarian." Sam comments.

"Yeah, well, whatever spoke to Gloria about this, knew what it was talking about, I'll give you that." Dean says.

"Damn." A woman whistles out.

The three spin around at the owner of the voice; Sam and Dean point their guns at the woman, not knowing who she was.

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Would you two put those away?" She scolds her boyfriends. Sam and Dean glance at Isabeau, confused, but comply and put their guns away.

The woman, who had long dark brown hair that was pulled into a ponytail with a few strand hairs framing her face and sparkling blue eyes, smiles at Isabeau, "Did expect such a warm welcome." She jokes.

Isabeau returns the smile, "Oh shut up and give me a hug." Isabeau and the woman giggle as the two embrace in a tight hug.

Once they pull away, Isabeau turns to Sam and Dean, "Boys, this is Naysa, one of my coven members. Naysa, this is Sam and Dean."

Naysa waves at them with a friendly smile, "Sup?"

* * *

Dean is sitting on the edge of the bed with a police radio in hand, listening. He looks painfully bored.

He looks over at Naysa, who is flipping through one of Isabeau's grimoires, "So, Naysa. What kind of hybrid are you?" He asks.

Naysa looks over at him, "Would you believe me if I told you?"

Dean furrows his brow, "Yeah." Why would she ask him a weird question like that?

"Sorry, De. Can't tell." She taps her nose and continues flipping through the book.

Dean was about to ask why, but he catches something on the police radio. "We've got a minor TA, involving a motorcycle and a, uh van, this is at the corner of 28th and Pine, 28th and Pine." The woman on the radio says.

As Sam and Isabeau enter, Dean sighs and looks back sadly at the 'Magic Fingers' controller.

Dean eagerly, almost desperately, looks back at the Magic Fingers controller, "D'you bring quarters?"

Isabeau shakes her head at the look Naysa was giving her.

Sam frowns at the controller, "Dude! I'm not enabling your sick habit."

He tosses a sandwich at Dean, "You're like one of those lab rats that pushes the pleasure button instead of the food button until it dies." Sam says taking a seat.

"What are you talking about? I eat. And I got news." Dean says.

Isabeau folds her arms, leaning against the dresser, "Us too."

Dean nods, "All right, you go first."

"Three students have disappeared off the college campus in the last year. All of them were last seen at the library." Isabeau informs.

"Where Carl Gully worked." Dean connects.

Isabeau nods, "Yep."

Naysa closes the grimoire with a thub, "Sick bastard."

"So Gloria's angel-" Sam starts.

"Angel?" Dean interrupts him, giving him a look that said, 'really?'

Sam sighs, "Okay. Whatever this thing is…"

"Okay, well, whatever it is, it's struck again." Dean says.

"What?" Isabeau and Sam ask in unison.

Dean gestures to himself and Naysa, "We were listening to the police radio before you got here. There was this guy, uh, Zach Smith, some local drunk; he went up to a stranger's front door last night, stabbed him in the heart."

Isabeau tilts her head, "And then I'm guessing he went to the police and confessed?"

Naysa nods, "Yep. Roma Downey made him do it." Naysa leans over to take a Post-it note off the mirror that Isabeau was standing next to, "Now, we, uh... got the victim's address."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau, Naysa and Dean climb over the fence into the yard. Isabeau goes up to one of the windows and with a simple wave of her hand, it unlocks and she opens it.

She sneaks in through the window first, followed by Naysa, then Sam and Dean.

Sam sits down at the computer with Isabeau looking over his shoulder as Dean and Naysa search the house.

"Find anything?" Sam asks as Dean and Naysa walk into the room.

Dean flips through a magazine, "Well, Frank liked his catalog shopping, but that's about all we got. You guys?"

Sam shakes his head, "Not much here. Except he's got this one locked file on his computer, I can't... hold on." He presses a few buttons, then grins in triumph, "Not anymore. God."

"What?" Naysa asks as her and Dean come over to look.

"Well, he's got all these emails. Dozens, to this lady named Jennifer." Sam answers.

Isabeau looks away, sick to her stomach, "This lady who's thirteen years old." Sam reaches over and slips his hand under her shirt, rubbing circles on the small of her back.

Dean grimaces, "Oh, I don't want to hear this."

"Looks like they met in a chat room. These emails are pretty personal, Dean. Look at that. Setting up a time and place to meet." Sam informs.

"Great." Naysa frowns. She glances over at Isabeau who is still looking away and playing with her rosary. Everyone knew Isabeau had a strong connection with children, and hell, if that guy didn't kill the victim, Isabeau would've probably beaten him and made him wish he was dead.

"They were supposed to meet today." Sam says, looking over at Dean.

"Huh." Dean moves away from them, "Well, I guess if you're gonna stab someone, good timing. I don't know, guys, this is weird, you know? I mean, sure, some spirits are out for vengeance, but this one's almost like a do-gooder, you know? Like, like a-"

"Avenging angel?" Sam guesses.

Naysa frowns. Angels never acted like this. They never even show themselves unless it benefits them. Naysa knew that this wasn't any angel they were dealing with.

Dean turns away at Sam's suggestion.

"Well, how else do you explain it, Dean?" Sam asks, "Three guys, not connected to each other, all stabbed through the heart? At least two were world-class pervs, and I bet if you dug deep enough on the other guy-"

Dean picks something up, "Hey."

"What?"

"You said Carl Gully was a churchgoer, right?" Dean asks.

"Yeah?" Sam confirms.

"What was the name of his church?"

Isabeau looks over at Dean, careful to keep her line of sight away from the computer, "Uh... Our Lady of the Angels?" She answers.

"Of course that'd be the name." Dean holds up a church flier, "Looks like Frank went to the same church."

Naysa nudges Isabeau and juts her head towards the other room.

Isabeau nods, and looks over at Sam and Dean, "Give us a few?"

Sam and Dean exchange a look, "Yeah. Whatever you need, sweetheart." Dean says with a nod.

Isabeau smiles at her boyfriends, caressing Sam's hair briefly and walks into the other room with Naysa to talk in private.

Once the two are in the other room, Naysa whispers, "No way this is an angel thing. Look, I'm gonna head deeper into town, get a motel room and stick around just in case, but I think you guys can handle it from here. Okay?"

Isabeau nods, "Okay. Thanks Naysa for coming all the way out here. I really appreciate it."

Naysa lightly punches Isabeau in the arm, "Anything for you, Isa. Also, uh, stop by, you know? The motel room will be unlocked, ready and waiting."

Isabeau smirks, "When this is done and over, you bet your ass I'm high tailing it to you. Been too long since I got some angel loving."

Naysa laughs, "I might just have to invite Emily and Clara down too then."

Isabeau narrows her eyes at her, "Don't tease me, Naysa."

"Teasing is Madison, okay?" Naysa pauses, pulling Isabeau in for a hug, "But, be careful okay? It might not be an angel thing but this whole thing is funky."

Isabeau tightens their hug briefly, "I will. You be careful too."

* * *

With Naysa now gone, Dean, Isabeau and Sam walk through the sanctuary of the church, speaking to a friendly-looking priest, Father Reynolds. "So you're interested in joining the parish?" Father Reynolds asks.

"Yeah, well, you know, we just don't feel right unless we hit church every Sunday." Dean says as he holds Isabeau's hand.

"Where'd you say you lived before?"

"Uh…" Sam stutters.

Isabeau smiles, "Fremont, Texas."

"Yeah." Sam instantly agrees with her.

"Really? That's a nice town. St. Teresa's parish, you must know the priest there." Father Reynolds says, stoping.

The three stop with him. Dean nods, "Sure, yeah, no it's uh, Father O'Malley."

Father Reynolds nods with a hum, "Hmm, I know a Father Shaughnessy."

"Shaughnessy, exactly. What'd I say?" Dean says with a grin.

Sam breaks in, "You know, we're just happy to be here now, Father."

"And we're happy to have you, we could use some young blood around here." Father Reynolds says.

Isabeau brushes her hair behind her ear, "Father Reynolds, I gotta ask - no offense, but uh, the neighborhood?"

"Well, it's gone to seed a little, there's no denying that, but that's why what the church does here is so important. Like I always say, you can expect a miracle, but in the meantime you work your butt off." Father Reynolds says.

Dean scoffs, "Huh. Yeah, we heard about the murders."

Father Reynolds nods, "Yes. The victims were parishioners of mine, I'd known them for years."

"And the killers said that an angel made them do that?" Sam asks.

Father Reynolds sighs, "Yes. Misguided souls, to think that God's messenger would appear and incite people to murder. It's tragic."

"So you don't believe in those angel yarns, huh?" Dean asks.

Father Reynolds shakes his head, "Oh, no, I absolutely believe. Kind of goes with the job description."

Isabeau narrows her eyes and nods to a painting on the wall, "Father, that's Michael, right?"

Father Reynold nods, "That's right. The archangel Michael, with the flaming sword. The fighter of demons. Holy force against evil."

Isabeau blinks at the painting, Father Reynolds' words almost seem to echo in her ears, sounding far away. She squints her eyes shut as a sharp pain spreads in her forehead.

* * *

_5-year-old Isabeau giggles as she runs down the stairs of her home and into the living room where her father and mother were talking to a man in his late 20's._

" _Uncle!" Isabeau shouts with glee as she jumps into the mans awaiting arms and he picks her up._

_The man chuckles fondly at Isabeau, placing an endearing kiss on her forehead, "Hello, my angel."_

* * *

Isabeau shakes her head, confused by what she just saw. She didn't remember any of that from her childhood. What was happening to her?

"So they're not really the Hallmark card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant?" Sam asks.

"Well, I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful. But, uh, yes, a lot of Scripture paints angels as God's warriors. 'An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone down upon them, and they were terrified.'" Father Reynolds recites.

Sam and Isabeau nod, Dean looks confused.

"Luke. Two nine." Father Reynolds says.

Dean nods sagely. Isabeau sighs, she might not have gone to church, but she did now the Bible front to back. Needed to know it when it came to having angels as friends in your life.


	28. Houses of the Holy Pt.2

The four of them exit the church, Dean and Isabeau are still holding hands as Sam walks with Father Reynolds. "Well, thank you for speaking with us, Father." Sam says.

The stop on the steps. "Oh, it' s my pleasure. Hope to see you again." Father Reynolds says.

Dean sees a collection of tribute items at the bottom of the steps, "Hey, Father, what's, what is all that for?"

Father Reynolds looks over, "Oh, that's for Father Gregory. He was a priest here."

Isabeau tilts her head, "Was?"

Father Reynolds nods, "He passed away right on these steps. He's interred in the church crypt."

"When did this happen?" Isabeau asks.

"Two months ago. He was shot for his car keys."

Sam shakes his head sadly, "I'm sorry."

Father Reynolds nods, "Yeah, me too. He was a good friend. I didn't even have time to administer his last rites. But like I said, it's a tough neighborhood. Ever since he died I've been praying my heart out."

"For what?" Sam asks, curious.

"For deliverance. From the violence and the bloodshed around here. We could use a little divine intervention, I s'pose." Father Reynolds answers.

Dean, Isabeau and Sam share a look. "Well, Padre, thanks. We'll see you again." Dean says.

Father Reynolds goes back inside and Dean, Isabeau and Sam investigate the shrine. "Well, it's all starting to make sense. Devoted priest dies a violent death? That's vengeful spirit material right there." Dean explains.

Sam shifts uncomfortably and Isabeau notices. She removes her hand from Dean's and grabs Sam's hand instead, giving it a squeeze. He squeezes back.

Dean continues, "And he knew all the other stiffs, because they went to church here, in fact I'm willing to bet that because he was their priest, he knew things about them that nobody else knew."

"Then again, Father Reynolds started praying for God's help about two months ago, right? Right about the time all this started happening?" Sam recalls.

Dean groans, "Aw, come on, man, what's your deal?"

Sam shakes his head, "What do you mean?"

"Look, I'll admit I'm a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr., uh, 700 Club? No, seriously. From the git-go you've been willing to buy this angel crap, man. I mean, what's next, are you going to start praying every day?" Dean asks, setting the photo of Father Gregory back on the shrine.

"I do." Sam simply states.

Dean stares at him, "What?"

Isabeau squeezes Sam's hand, "Dean… Sam does pray every day."

Sam squeezes back, "I have for a long time." Isabeau was the only one who knew up until that point. He knew that Isabeau didn't have the best relationship or memories of the church, but she was never against Sam praying. If anything, she encouraged it because it made him feel better and Isabeau didn't want to take that away from him.

Dean stares at Sam, startled, "The things you learn about a guy. Huh. Well, come on, let's go check out Father Gregory's grave."

The crypt is a maze of stone hallways, with numerous stone angel figurines. They wander through slowly, Dean and Isabeau a little ahead of Sam.

As Dean and Isabeau go into another room, Sam stops, looking back at one of the angels.

He frowns as it, and then the entire room, begins to shake. A brilliant light appears behind him and he turns, confusion washing away to a look of awe.

Dean and Isabeau hurry back into the room. "Sam, come on, get the lead out." Dean calls out.

They see Sam passed out on the floor, and rush over. "Sam! Love!" Isabeau exclaims, kneeling down next to him, her chest tightening in fear.

"Sammy? Sammy! Hey!" Dean shouts, shaking Sam.

Sam jerks awake, groaning.

"Y'okay?" Dean asks as he and Isabeau help him sit up.

"Yeah. Yeah. 'm okay." Sam says, staring at the stone angel, stunned.

"Come on." Dean says, him and Isabeau hauls Sam to his feet and guides him into the sanctuary, a hand on his arm, and shuts the door behind them.

Isabeau stares at Sam as they walk, "You saw it, didn't you? Didn't you?"

Sam nods with a smile, "Yeah. Yeah. Guys, I saw an angel."

Isabeau bites her lip. She wasn't so sure about that, not after what Naysa told her. It couldn't have been an angel.

"You…" Dean trails off.

Sam sits as Dean pulls out a flask, unscrews it and hands it to him, "All right. Here."

Sam shakes his head, "I don't want a drink."

Dean shrugs and takes a swig, "So. What makes you think you saw a, uh, angel?"

Sam smiles, shaking his head as Isabeau takes a seat next to him, "It just, it appeared before me and I just, this feeling washed over me, you know? Like, like peace. Like grace." Sam explains.

Dean nods, pursing his lips, "Okay, Ecstasy Boy, maybe we'll get you some glow sticks and a nice Dr. Seuss hat, huh?"

Isabeau gives him a scolding look, "Dean."

"Dean, I'm serious. It spoke to me, it knew who I was." Sam says.

"It's just a spirit, Sam. Okay? And it's not the first one to be able to read people's minds." Dean sits down on another pew, "Okay, let me guess. You were personally chosen to smite some sinner. You've just got to wait for some divine bat signal, is that it?"

Sam nods, "Yeah, actually."

Isabeau places her hand on top of Sam's, "I don't suppose you asked what this alleged bad guy did?" She asks softly.

"Actually I did. And the angel told me. He hasn't done anything. Yet. But he will." Sam flips his hands, taking Isabeau's hand in his.

Dean stands and starts pacing, "Oh, this is, this is... I don't believe this."

"Dean, the angel hasn't been wrong yet! Someone's going to do something awful, and I can stop it!" Sam exclaims.

"You know, you're supposed to be bad too, maybe, maybe I should just stop you right now." Dean jabs.

Isabeau lets go of Sam's hand and stands up, "Dean!" She scolds again.

"You know what, Dean? I don't understand! Why can't you even consider the possibility?" Sam asks, frustrated.

Dean shakes his head, "What, that this is an angel?"

Isabeau groans in frustration at the two fighting and walks away from them. She crosses her arms and looks away from them, not wanting to hear anymore of it. She wished she could just tell them this wasn't an angel, but that would raise questions. And she couldn't answer those.

"Yes!" Sam shouts, "Maybe we're hunting an angel here, and we should stop! Maybe this is God's will!"

Dean nods, "Okay, all right. You know what? I get it. You've got faith. That's - hey, good for you. I'm sure it makes things easier."

Dean sits down again, "I'll tell you who else had faith like that - Mom. She used to tell me when she tucked me in that angels were watching over us. In fact, that was the last thing she ever said to me."

Isabeau glances over her shoulder at Dean.

"You never told me that." Sam says, starting to tear up.

"Well, what's to tell? She was wrong. There was nothing protecting her. There's no higher power, there's no God." Dean says.

Isabeau frowns; only knew angels existed, not if there was such a thing as God. Hell, neither does Naysa, Emily or Clara know. Their parents never told them.

Dean continues, "I mean, there's just chaos, and violence, and random unpredictable evil th-that comes out of nowhere, and rips you to shreds. You want me to believe in this stuff? I'm going to need to see some hard proof. You got any?"

Isabeau turns back around to face them. She had hard proof. Naysa was hard proof and they met her.

Dean pauses, "Well, I do. Proof that we're dealing with a spirit."

Father Gregory's tombstone is covered in creeping vines; Dean, Isabeau and Sam crouch before it. "That looks like-" Sam starts.

"It's wormwood." Isabeau interrupts him, "Plant associated with the dead, specifically the ones that are not at rest. I don't see it growing anywhere else, except over the murdered priest's marker. It's him, Sam." She tries to convince him.

Sam sends her a sad glance, "Maybe." He was a little upset that Isabeau wasn't supporting him on the idea that this could be an angel.

Isabeau apologetically smiles at Sam, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe?" Dean asks.

"Dean, I don't know what to think." Sam says.

"Okay. You want some more proof? I'll give you more proof." Dean states.

"How?" Sam asks.

Dean grins, "We'll summon Gregory's spirit."

Sam shakes his head, "What? Here? In the church?"

Isabeau even raises a brow at Dean's suggestion. Never summoned in a church before. Fought one, but never summoned.

Dean nods, standing up, "Yeah. Yeah, we just need a few odds and ends."

Sam and Isabeau stand up as well, following Dean as he walks. "Isabeau, do you have everything we need for a séance?"

Isabeau nods, "Just have to pick up a few things."

"Oh, a séance, great. Hope Whoopi's available." Sam jokes and Isabeau punches his arm lightly.

"That's funny, actually." Dean says deadpanned, stopping, "Seriously. If Father Gregory's spirit is around, a séance will bring him right to us. If it's him, then we'll put him to rest."

"But if it's an angel, it won't show. Nothin' 'll happen." Sam points out.

Dean nods, "Exactly. That's one of the perks of the job, Sam. We don't have to operate on faith. We can know for sure. Don't you wanna know for sure?"

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Alright you two, enough. You're both giving me a headache." She turns around, walking out of the crypt.

Sam and Dean watch her go.

Dean, Isabeau and Sam leave a small grocery store, Sam holding a paper sack and smiling, "Out of the places, I wouldn't think you would get what you need at a grocery store, Beau."

Isabeau shrugs, holding a small bag of her own, "I don't technically need to go to a wiccan shop or to a place that specializes in herbs. Grocery stores are the quickest and easiest way, not my favorite, but quick."

She pauses, "At least I stopped Dean from grabbing a SpongeBob place mat for an altar cloth."

Dean smiles, "We would've just put it SpongeBob-side-down."

Sam laughs, then stops in shock, staring at something across the street. A young man holding a bunch of flowers and a bright white light glows behind him.

"Guys, that's it." Sam calls out to them.

Dean and Isabeau look up, "What?" They ask in unison.

Sam points at the young man, "That's the sign!"

Dean and Isabeau look back. "Where?" Dean asks.

"Right there, right behind that guy! That's him, guys. And we have to stop him." Sam says.

The young man crosses the street and Sam starts to go after him, but Dean stops him, "Wait a minute."

Sam looks at him in confusion, "What are you doing? Let me go."

Isabeau walks up to them as Dean speaks, "You're not going to go kill somebody because a ghost told you to, are you insane?"

Sam glances back at the young man, "Dean, I'm not insane, I'm not going to kill him. I'm going to stop him."

Isabeau shakes her head, "Define 'stop', huh? I mean, what are you going to do?"

"Isabeau, please, he's going to hurt someone, you know it." Sam begs her, staring down at her.

Dean looks at the young man then back at Sam, "All right, come on."

The young man has gotten into a car and starts it up, pulling away.

Dean gets into the driver side of the impala and starts it. Sam tries to get in the other side but the door is locked.

"Dean. Unlock my door." Sam demands.

Isabeau looks at Dean in confusion, "Dean, what are you doing?"

Dean glances at Isabeau and then leans over, "You're not killing anyone, Sam. I got this guy, you two go do the séance."

"Dean!" Sam shouts.

Dean pulls away, following the young man at a short distance.

The man stops at a corner and gets out with the bunch of flowers, handing them to a woman waiting on the corner. They both get in the car and drive off again.

Kneeling before Gregory's grave, Sam and Isabeau have the spell materials spread out: a circle of small white candles, a large black candle in the middle, the altar cloth and one of Isabeau's grimoires.

Sam stares at Isabeau as she lights the candles with her finger, a small flame ignited on the tip of her pointer finger, "Do you think this is a spirit?"

Isabeau stops lighting the candles and looks at Sam. She licks her lips, "Yes." She simply says, not looking away from him.

"How can you be sure?" Sam asks.

Isabeau sighs, "Because... " She trails off, eyes downcast,not knowing what to say.

Sam furrows his brow, concerned that Isabeau wasn't answering, "Beau?"

Isabeau continues lighting the candles, "Why do you think Naysa left?"

Sam shakes his head, "Isabeau, please don't change the subject. Naysa has nothing-"

"I didn't change the subject." Isabeau interrupts, "Naysa left because she knew this wasn't an angel. She told me, Sam. She would know. Her, Emily and Clara would know." She says, mentioning two other members of her coven.

"But they could be wrong."

"They aren't wrong." Isabeau huffs, "I'm sorry, Sam. But if this was an angel, we would have a bigger problem on our hands."

She finishes lighting the candles, she picks up her grimoire and hands it to Sam, "See for yourself."

Sam studies Isabeau for a moment as she looks at him. "If I didn't know what I know, Sam, I would support you, but-"

"I get it." Sam says.

Isabeau sighs, "Sam, I don't mean to upset you."

Sam leans over, his fingers lightly grip her chin to tilt her head slightly. His lips softly press against Isabeau's, "It's okay, you're being honest and I appreciate that."

Isabeau stays silent at his words. She wishes she could be completely honest with him.

He takes the grimoire from her and reads, "Amate spiritus obscure, te quaerimus, te oramus, nobiscum colloquere, aput nos circita."

Isabeau sprinkles some herb on the black candle and it flares once, brightly.

"What are you doing? What is this?" Sma and Isabeau turn to see Father Reynolds entering the crypt.

"Uh," Sam closes Isabeau's grimoire. Isabeau and him stand up. "Father, please. We can explain. Um... actually, maybe we can't." Sam rambles.

Sam walks to Father Reynolds, "Um. This is a, a séance."

"A séance? Young man, you are in the House of God." Father Reynolds says.

Isabeau walks over with a nervous smile, "It's based on early Christian rites, if that helps any."

"Enough. You're coming with me." Father Reynolds grabs both Sam and Isabeau by their shoulders, ushering them out of the crypt.

"Father, please, you, just wait a second!" Sam begs.

As Father Reynolds pulls Sam and Isabeau to the exit, a bright glow builds behind them. They turn and stare; Father Reynolds in awe and Sam in disappointment. Isabeau clutches to her rosary tightly as she stares at the glowing light.

"Oh my god! Is that... is that an angel?" Father Reynolds asks in awe.

"No, it's not. It's just Father Gregory." Sam says, disappointed.

Isabeau glances at Sam. She felt terrible that his hopes were completely diminished.

The bright glow dims and coalesces to reveal a young, handsome priest, Father Gregory.

"Thomas?!" Father Reynolds whispers in shock.

Father Gregory smiles, "I've come in answer to your prayers."

Sam approaches Gregory's spirit cautiously. Isabeau follows closely behind, keeping a watchful eye on Father Gregory.

"Sam... I thought I sent you on your path. You should hurry." Father Gregory tells Sam.

Sam shakes his head, "Father, I'm sorry. But you're not an angel."

"Of course I am." Father Gregory says with confidence.

Isabeau steps forward, "No. You're a man. You're a spirit. And you need to rest."

Father Gregory nods, "I was a man. But now I'm an angel…"

Isabeau glances down briefly when she feels Sam's hand intertwined with her own.

"I was on the steps of the church. And I felt that bullet pierce right through me. But there was no pain. And suddenly I could see… everything. Father Reynolds, I saw you, praying and crying here. I came to help you." Father Gregory turns to Father Reynolds.

"Help me how?" Father Reynolds asks.

"Those murders - that was because of you?" Father Reynolds asks, stepping toward Father Gregory.

"I received the Word of God. He spoke to me, told me to smite the wicked. I'm carrying out his will." Father Gregory informs.

"You're driving innocent people to kill."

"Those innocent people are being offered redemption. Father Gregory turns to Sam, "Some people need redemption. Don't they, Sam?"

Sam looks away, Father Reynolds touched a nerve.

Father Gregory looks at Isabeau, "You seek redemption."

Isabeau's breath hitches, eyes becoming watery and she squeezes Sam's hand tightly. Sam looks at her, confused.

"Redemption from what you did when you were seventeen. When you became addicted." Father Gregory continues on.

Isabeau clenches her jaw, a lone tear falls down her face, "I don't need any redemption from you. My coven already gave me that; they forgiven me."

"But you don't forgive yourself."

Isabeau's lip twitches, holding herself back from releasing more tears. Sam's eyes soften at his girlfriend. This was what she was talking about when they were back in Connecticut and he got drunk that one night. She couldn't keep the same promise that Dean gave because Isabeau was in a similar situation once.

Though, she never said what she did exactly, nor did she say what she got addicted to.

"How can you call this redemption?" Father Reynolds asks.

"You can't understand it now. But the rules of man and the rules of God are two very different things." Father Gregory says.

"Those people. They're locked up." Sam reminds him.

Father Gregory shakes his head, "No, they're happy. They've found peace, beaten their demons. And I've given them the keys to Heaven."

"No." Father Reynolds shakes his head, "No, this is vengeance, it's wrong. Thomas, this goes against everything you believed. You're lost, misguided."

"Father. No, I'm not misguided." Father Gregory reassures.

"You are not an angel, Thomas. Men cannot be angels." Father Reynolds says.

"But… but I, I don't understand. You prayed for me to come." Father Gregory says in confusion, his smile fading.

"I prayed for God's help. Not this. What you're doing is not God's will. 'Thou shalt not kill'. That's the word of God." Father Reynolds explains.

Father Gregory is staring, bewildered, at his own headstone. He turns to face Father Reynolds, Isabeau and Sam.

"Let us help you." Isabeau pleads.

Father Gregory shakes his head, tears pooling in his eyes, "No."

"It's time to rest, Thomas, to be at peace. Please, let me give you Last Rites." Father Reynolds says.

Father Gregory nods in resignation and Father Reynolds lifts his hands in prayer, "Oh Holy Hosts above, I call upon thee as a servant of Christ to sanctify our actions this day, in fulfillment of the will of God."

Father Reynolds gasps as Father Gregory flickers like a distorted image. "Father Reynolds?" Father Gregory asks, slightly scared.

Father Reynolds gives him a reassuring smile, "Rest."

Father Gregory kneels and Father Gregory holds a hand over Father Gregorys' forehead, "I call upon the Archangel Raphael."

Isabeau blinks at the mention of Raphael.

"Blue-eyes… where are you hiding little one?"

6-year-old Isabeau giggles as she peeks out from behind the couch, watching a middle aged black man search for her in the living room.

The man smiles when he hears her giggles, "I'm afraid my Blue-eyes is just too good at hiding."

Isabeau giggles again, hiding fully behind the couch.

The man slowly makes his way over to the couch, and in one fluid motion, picks up Isabeau from behind and lifts her into the air.

Isabeau squeals as the man hugs her, "You found me, Uncle!"

The man chuckles, "That I did Blue-eyes… That I did."

Isabeau shakes her head lightly as Father Reynolds continues, "Master of the Air, to make open the way. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit now descend, that this being might be awakened to the world beyond."

Father Gregory glows brightly, then vanishes to a short soft, almost angelic chorus. Reynolds lowers his hand in awe.

Sam and Isabeau are packing their bags. Dean approaches the room and enters, "How was your day?"

"You were right. It wasn't an angel. It was Gregory." Sam says dully.

Isabeau looks over her shoulder, locking eyes with Dean briefly before looking back down at her bag, slowing her packing.

Dean pulls the flask from his inner pocket, takes a drink, then, considering, offers it to Sam.

Sam takes it as Dean takes off his jacket, "I don't know, Dean, I just, uh…" He sits on the bed.

"I wanted to believe... so badly, ah... It's so damn hard to do this, what we do. All alone, you know? And... there's so much evil out there in the world, Dean, I feel like I could drown in it. And when I think about my destiny, when I think about how I could end up…" Sam trails off.

Dean sits on the bed beside him, "Yeah, well, don't worry about that. All right? I'm watching out for you."

Dean reaches out for Isabeau and she walks over, letting him take her hand and drag her into his lap. Isabeau takes a breath, "You got me too, Sam."

"Yeah, I know you guys are." Sam says, tears in his eyes, "But you're just two people, Isabeau. And I needed to think that there was something else, watching too, you know? Some higher power. Some greater good. And that maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Dean asks.

"Maybe I could be saved." Sam nervously laughs, "But, uh, you know, that just clouded my judgment, and you're right. I mean, we've gotta go with what we know, with what we can see, with what's right there in front of our own two eyes."

"Yeah, well, it's funny you say that." Dean says.

"Why?" Sam asks.

"Gregory's spirit gave you some pretty good information. That guy in the car was bad news. I barely got there in time." Dean informs.

"What happened?" Isabeau asks.

Dean clicks his tongue, "He's dead."

Sam and Isabeau blink in surprise, "Did… you?" Sam asks.

Dean shakes his head, "No. But I'll tell you one thing. If… The way he died, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes I never would have believed it. I mean... I don't know what to call it."

Isabeau looks at him, "What? Dean, what did you see?"

Dean frowns, "Maybe… God's will."

The three sit in silence at Dean's words. A sudden ringing of a cell phone makes them jump slightly. It was Isabeau's phone.

Isabeau stares at her phone, not getting up from her spot on Dean's lap.

"Isabeau… are you gonna pick it up?" Sam asks.

She shakes her head, "No. Whoever it is, they can wait." Her phone stops ringing.

"And Sam…" Isabeau starts and Sam looks at her.

Isabeau smiles softly at him, "You have a lot of people looking out for you. My family, my coven…" She looks at Dean, "They're all looking out for both of you. My family is your family, now and forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some of Isabeau's coven are part angel, some more than others. And Isabeau is keeping it a secret. Not the best idea.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	29. Born Under a Bad Sign Pt.1

Isabeau is on her cell phone, leaning against the impala with Dean beside her fidgeting and clearly upset.

"Ellen, it's me again. Any chance you've heard from him?" She asks her godmother, "I swear, it's like looking for John all over again. We're losing our minds here."

She plays with her rosary in her free hand, trying to calm her breathing. She shakes her head, "No, we've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. We don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone."

Her cell phone beeps, "Hang on." Isabeau looks down at her phone and it shows another incoming call - Sam's Cell. Dean sighs with relief when he sees his name.

Isabeau's breath hitches and she answers it, "Stretch? Where the hell are you? Are you okay?" She furrows her brow, "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, we're on my way."

* * *

Inside a motel room, Sam hangs up the phone slowly, looking numb. His knuckles are bloody.

Dean and Isabeau drive to reach Sam, passing a sign reading Twin Lakes. They arrive at the hotel and park, get out.

* * *

Dean and Isabeau walk frantically down a narrow hallway, checking door numbers until they reach room 109.

Dean knocks, "Sam, it's us. Sam!"

Isabeau tries the door; it's open. Inside, Sam hasn't moved, still sitting numbly on one bed.

Isabeau walks in first, followed by Dean who shuts the door behind them. Isabeau frowns in worry when she sees his state, "Sam? Hey." She says softly, crouching down in front of him, cupping his cheeks softly.

She caresses his cheeks, urging him to look at her, but his gaze doesn't move from the ground. "Hey, Isabeau… Dean." He says numbly.

Dean kneels beside him, "Are you bleeding?" He asks, looking at the blood on his knuckles.

Isabeau swallows thickly, starting to move her hands away, but Sam stops her with his own, placing them back where she once had them, "I tried to wash it off." Sam says.

Dean sees Sam's shirt covered in blood and he gropes at it, searching for a wound, "Oh my god."

Isabeau looks down at the blood, fear pooling in her chest, "Sam, are you alright?" She asks, voice shaking.

"I don't think it's my blood." Sam says.

"Whose is it?" Dean asks.

"I don't know." Sam says looking down at his shirt.

Isabeau shifts a little bit closer to Sam, "Sam, what the hell happened?"

Sam finally looks up at them, "Isabeau... Dean... I don't remember anything." His voice cracks, tears in his eyes.

* * *

Dean returns to the room, carrying a grocery bag. Sam has changed clothes and is looking a little less out of it. He was keeping Isabeau close to him with his arm hooked around her waist.

"What'd you find out?" Sam asks.

Dean sets down the grocery bag, "You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora. Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan."

Isabeau gives him a look, "Dean."

Dean sighs, sending Isabeau an apologetic look before speaking, "Your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual." He tells Sam.

"You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?" Sam asks, agitated.

Isabeau moves her hand to Sam's back, slipping under his shirt, rubbing circles on the small of his back.

Dean purses his lips, "Yeah. That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, guys? What happened to me?" Sam asks as dean takes his jacket off.

"We don't know." Isabeau places her other hand on Sam's chest, causing him to look down at her, "But you're, you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with." Isabeau tells him softly.

Sam takes a hold of Isabeau's hand one his chest, "What if I hurt someone? Or worse?" He asks with pleading eyes.

"Sam…" Dean scolds.

Sam looks over at him, "What if this is what Dad warned you about?"

Dean shakes his head, "Hey, whoa, whoa, come on man, let's not jump the gun here. We don't know what happened. We've just got to treat this like, like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

Sam sighs, sitting down, taking Isabeau with him, "Just me, you and Isabeau, just, in that motel room in West Texas, going out to grab some burgers, and…"

Isabeau furrows her brow, "West Texas? That was, that was over a week ago."

"That's it." Sam says.

Dean and Isabeau are stunned at Sam's words.

Sam bites his lip, "Next thing I knew I was sitting here... Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

"Okay. Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday afternoon and he never saw you come back, so." Dean pulls back the curtain and he finds a bloody fingerprint on the window, "Hey."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean walk outside the motel; Sam is now holding onto Isabeau's hand.

"Recognize anything?" Dean asks, stopping for a second.

"Not really." Sam answers.

The three go towards a parking garage out back. "Wait." Sam says, stopping.

Isabeau glances up at Sam, "What?"

"I think I was here." Sam says.

"You remember?" Dean asks.

Sam shakes his head, "Not really, it just... feels familiar, you know?"

Dean shrugs, goes to the nearest garage. Sam looks over to the second and points, "Try that one. Yeah."

Dean tugs on the padlock, "Okay. Beau, you're up."

Isabeau was about to walk over, but Sam tightened his grip on her hand, "Wait."

Sam digs in his pocket, frowning. He pulls out a key and gives Dean and Isabeau a significant look.

Dean opens the padlock with the key, raising his eyebrows at Sam. He pulls the garage door open to reveal a filthy, beat-up VW Beetle, "Oh, please tell me you didn't steal _this_." Dean begs.

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Not the time to make comments about other cars, Dearie."

Sam fidgets as Isabeau let's go of his hand. They go into the garage and open both doors of the car, Sam on the driver's side. He touches the wheel, shows Dean his stained finger, "More blood."

Isabeau points to the backseat as she stands next to Sam, "Sam. Back seat."

Sam reaches down, picks up a blood-stained knife that sticks to the floor of the backseat. He stares at it, "You think I used this on someone?"

Dean pauses, "I'm not thinking anything."

Sam looks around, rubs the knife handle off on the inside of his jacket. Isabeau tilts her head at a certain object in the car. She waves her hand and the object flies into it; it's a pack of cigarettes.

She frowns, "Okay, now, this is disturbing. Come on, Sam, this couldn't have been you. Had to have been someone else, somebody who, uh…" Isabeau sniffs the pack, "Smokes menthols."

Sam picks up something, "Here. Gas receipt. Few towns over."

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean pull up in front of a small gas station. Dean looks down at the receipt, "All right. Receipt's for ten gallons at pump number two. You getting any, uh, any goosebumps yet? 'God, this looks familiar', deja vu vibes?"

Sam shakes his head quietly.

Isabeau frowns, "Maybe someone inside'll remember you. Come on."

The three get out of the impala; Sam still keeps Isabeau close to him by holding onto her hand.

They go into the convenience store and the clerk looks up in shock, then anger, "You. Outta here now, I'm calling the cops." He tells Sam.

They all blink in surprise. "You talking to him?" Isabeau asks, pointing at her younger boyfriend.

The clerk nods, "Yeah, I'm talking to him. Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk, grabs a forty from the fridge, starts chugging."

"This guy?" Dean glances at Sam, "You're drinking malt liquor?"

The clerk scoffs, "Not after he whipped the friggin' bottle at my head."

" _This_ guy?" Isabeau asks again, not believing a word of what he was saying.

"What, am I speaking Urdu?" The clerk asks sarcastically.

Sam shakes his head, "Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything-"

"Tell your story walkin', pal, okay? Po-po will be here in five." The clerk says, going to dial the phone.

"Wait, wait, he's leaving, he's leaving. Put the phone down. Sam, go wait in the car. Isabeau, go with him." Dean demands.

Sam stares at his brother, "But Dean-"

"Go wait in the car!" Dean repeats.

"Come on, Sam." Isabeau urges Sam. Sam sighs and leaves with Isabeau.

"Okay, look, man. I just want to talk to you, that's it. Okay?" Dean asks and the clerk hangs up the phone.

Dean points in Sam's direction, "Now, when he took off yesterday, which way did he go?"

The clerk shakes his head, "Why don't you ask him?"

"'Cause I'm asking you. Now please, you'd be doing me a huge favor."

The clerk nods, "Oh, do you a favor? Well, that is what I live for. You know, your buddy didn't pay for the booze. Okay? Or the smokes, which he also illegally lit up."

Dean pauses, "You saw him smoking?"

"Yeah. Guy's a chimney."

Dean looks out the door, seeing Sam and Isabeau talking next to the car. Sam has his hands cupping Isabeau's face and says something to her. Isabeau smiles softly at him and Sam leans down to place a loving kiss on her forehead. He pulls her slowly into his chest, arms wrapping around her and resting his chin on top of her head.

Dean clears his throat and pulls his wallet out, places some bills on the desk, "This, uh, ought to cover it."

The clerk hums, "Hmm. It's, uh, it's coming back to me now. He took two packs."

Dean pulls out more money, "Of course he did."

"He went north. Route 71, straight out of town." The clerk recalls.

Dean nods, grabs two candy bars and leaves with a smirk.

* * *

Dean is driving down a dark road,Sam is staring out the window and Isabeau is sitting in between them.

Dean glances over, "What's going on with you, Sam? Hm? 'Cause smoking, throwing bottles at people, I mean, that sounds more like me than you."

Realization crosses Sam's face, "Dean, wait, right here. Turn down that road."

"What?"

"I don't know how I know, I just do." Sam admits.

Dean turns down a back road and onto a private property. It is a large house with plenty of emergency lighting and security cameras outside.

The three step out of the impala and walk up to the front of the house. "Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises." Isabeau comments.

They walk forward, climbing up the steps on the house and to the front door, "Should we knock?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. I guess." Sam agrees.

Dean knocks on the front door with Isabeau while Sam pokes around the corner. "Hey, guys." Sam waves his flashlight at a window. It's broken, the ledge covered in shattered glass.

Dean and Isabeau walk over. "I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this you'd think it'd have an alarm." Dean says.

Isabeau walks away from the two, finding a disabled alarm on the wall, "Yeah, you would."

* * *

They go into the house and the floor is covered in broken glass and scattered items. In a back room, they come across a body on the floor.

"Hit the lights." Dean says.

Sam turns the lights on as Isabeau kneels behind the body. She places a hand on it and turns it over; it is a middle-aged man with a deeply cut throat. He is dead, his eyes staring.

Isabeau looks away and Dean puts a hand over his own mouth.

Sam looks horrified, "Guys, I did this."

"We don't know that." Dean says.

"What else do you need? I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood-"

Dean looks over in frustration, "I don't know, man, why don't you tell me?!" Dean pauses, "Look, even if you did do this I'm sure you had a reason, you know; self-defense, uh, he was, he was a bad son of a bitch, something!"

Isabeau pats down the body, "He doesn't have any ID." She stands up.

"I need your lockpick." Sam states, walking over to the double-door closet.

"What?" Dean asks.

"I need your lockpick." Sam restates.

Isabeau sighs, "We don't need a lockpick." She waves her hand, eyes glowing violet briefly and the lock of the doors unlock with a click. Her eyes stop glowing and Sam opens the double-door closet in the room. Inside the room, one wall is covered in firearms, the others in charts and clippings.

Dean stares in shock, "Holy... Either this guy's a Unabomber-"

"Or a hunter. Guys, I think I killed a hunter." Sam interrupts.

Dean looks up, seeing a security camera near the ceiling, "Let's find out."

* * *

Sam is sitting in front of the desktop computer with Dean and Isabeau standing behind him. He cues up the security tape, "Here we go."

On the tape, Sam is fighting the same man who lies dead on the floor behind them. The fight moves off camera and Sam drags the man back into the frame; he kneels, the man pulled up against his legs, and slits his throat.

Sam stares in shock as Dean pulls back from the screen and stands straight, looking at Sam.

Isabeau places a hand on Sam's shoulder, not looking away from the footage as Sam looks down.

* * *

Sam is sitting at the computer desk, staring at a page in his hand. Dean and Isabeau bustle around behind him, cleaning up.

Dean comes over, pointing at the computer, "How do you erase this? Huh? Sam, come on, we need your help."

"I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him." Sam says, numb.

Isabeau walks over, crouching down beside him, "Listen to me. Whoever this guy is, he's a hunter. Which means that other hunters are going to come looking for his killer, which means we've got to cover our tracks, okay?"

This wasn't the first time Isabeau has done this. She still even does it now. Most hunters didn't care that Isabeau was a hunter herself, just the fact that she was a supernatural creature, which meant run or be killed.

"His name was Steve Wandell. This is a letter from his daughter." Sam tosses the letter on the desk.

Dean looks from Sam to the letter, then makes a decision. He grabs the CPU, lifts it above his head, and smashes it to the floor, stomping it with his boots for good measure. Isabeau flinches at the noise.

Dean looks at Sam, still sitting there despondent and tosses a rag to him, "Wipe your prints, then we go."

* * *

Sam precedes Dean and Isabeau into the motel room. "All right, we get a couple hours sleep and then we put this place in our rearview mirror." Dean says placing his bag on the bed, "Look, I know this is bad, okay? You gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something!"

Isabeau leans against the table in the motel room, watching her two boyfriends.

Sam rubs his temples and looks back at Dean, "Just get some sleep and leave in the morning? Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

Dean hunts for words, "Maybe."

Sam scoffs and Isabeau bites her lip.

"Okay? Hey, we don't know... shapeshifter!" Dean says.

"Oh, come on. You know it wasn't, you saw the tape. There was no eye flare, no distortion." Sam says.

"Yeah, but it wasn't you!" Dean exclaims, "All right? I mean, yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you."

"Well, I think it was." Sam sits down on the bed, "I think maybe more than you know."

Isabeau's eyes widened, "What the hell does that mean?" She asks quietly.

Sam looks away from her, "For the last few weeks I've been having... I've been having these feelings."

Dean walks to the bed to sit opposite of Sam, "What feelings?"

"Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day, it gets worse." Sam explains.

Isabeau comes over, crouching down in front of Sam, taking his hands in hers, "You never told us this."

Sam frowns at Isabeau apologetically, caressing her cheek softly, "I didn't want to scare you."

Dean nods, slaps his knee and stands up, "Well, bang-up job on that."

"Dean, the yellow-eyed demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too." Sam says.

Isabeau shakes her head, "Sam, the yellow-eyed demon has his eyes set on me too. He can't control me and nobody can control you but you."

Sam sighs, "It sure doesn't seem like that, Isabeau, it feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm, I'm just becoming…"

"What?" Dean shouts.

Sam shrugs, "Who I'm meant to be. I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!" Dean shouts again.

Sam stands up, guiding Isabeau to stand up as well, "But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too." Sam steps away from Isabeau, "That's why he told you, if it ever came to this…"

"Shut up, Sam." Dean glares at his brother.

"Dean, you promised him. You promised me." Sam reminds him.

Dean shakes his head, scoffing, "No. Listen to me. We're gonna figure this out. Okay? I mean, there's gotta be a way, right?"

"Yeah there is." Sam takes a handgun from his duffel, shoves it at Dean, "I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you."

Sam looks over at Isabeau with a sad smile as she looks at him in fear, "And I don't want to hurt Isabeau."

Isabeau shakes her head, walking to stand in front of him, next to Dean, "Sam you could never hurt me. I know you won't."

Dean looks down at the gun Sam is handing him, "You won't. Whatever this is, you can fight it."

Sam tears up, "No. I can't. Not forever. Here, you gotta do it."

They stare at each other for a long moment then Sam grabs Dean's right hand and places the gun in it.

Isabeau tears up, "Sam, please-"

Sam steps forward, interrupting her by placing his lips on hers, falling into a passionate kiss. They pull apart, leaning their foreheads against each other's, panting from the kiss. Sam wipes away one of Isabeau's tears, "I love you." Sam whispers.

Isabeau couldn't bring herself to say it. She couldn't say those three words that she holds dear to her heart. She wasn't going to give up on Sam.

Sam steps back, shaky and upset and Dean doesn't move, just stares at Sam in shock, "You know, I've tried so hard to keep you safe."

Sam nods, "I know."

Dean shakes his head no, "I can't. I'd rather die." Dean drops the gun on the bed and shoulders past Sam.

"No. You'll live." Sam picks up the gun as Dean turns to face him, "You'll live to regret this."

Sam pistol-whips Dean, who falls to the floor unconscious. "Dean!" Isabeau shouts.

Isabeau's eyes widened, "Sam?"

Sam turns around to face Isabeau with a smirk, his eyes turning an inky black, " _My_ Isabeau." Before Isabeau could react, he pistol-whips Isabeau and he catches her in his arms as she falls unconscious.

Sam stares down at Isabeau's face with a smirk, brushing away some stray hairs away from her face with the gun, "How I missed you." He shifts her unconscious body over his shoulder and walks out of the motel room.

* * *

An insistent knocking awakens Dean to realize that he is on the floor of the motel room. The motel manager, who has been knocking, opens the door, "Hey. It's past your checkout."

Dean gets up, very groggy, "What?"

"It's past checkout, and I've got a couple here needs your room." The motel manager repeats himself.

Dean sees an embarrassed businessman with a hooker, "Yeah, I'll bet they do. What time is it?"

"Twelve-thirty." The manager responds.

"That guy and woman who was with me, have you seen them?" Dean asks.

The manager nods, "Yeah, he left her over his shoulder before dawn in your car, and you should have gone with them, because now I'm gonna have to charge you extra."

"Oh, son of a bitch." Dean mutters. His heart was pounding in his chest, worried for his brother and Isabeau. Why would Sam take her with him?

"It's just policy, sir."

"I need to use your computer." Dean says.

"Now, why would I let you use my computer?" The manager asks.

* * *

The manager is counting a stack of cash in the motel lobby as Dean talks on the phone behind him, in front of a desktop computer, "Hi, uh, so sorry to bother you, but uh, my son snuck out of the house last night and, uh, went to a Justin Timberlake concert."

Dean pauses, "What? Yeah. No, Justin is quite the triple threat. Uh, anyway, he's not back yet, and, and I'm just, I'm starting to worry."

Dean nods, "Right. Yeah, boys will be boys. But see, Sammy is uh uh uh, a diabetic, and uh, if he doesn't get his insulin, I just, I have to find him. Please, I'm begging you. Yeah, no no no, I"m on the website right now, I just need to activate the GDS in his cell phone."

Dean enters a password; his GPS screen shows the name DEAN J. MAHOGOFF, mobile phone number 785-555-2804, "Yeah, right there. Duluth, Minnesota. Yeah, that is a long way to go for a concert. I appreciate your help."


	30. Born Under a Bad Sign Pt.2

Jo is scrubbing the bar and saying goodnight to some customers, "Good night, thank you."

Sam enters and clears his throat.

Jo has her back to him, "Sorry, we're closing up."

"How about just one for the road?" Sam asks, walking deeper into the bar.

Jo turns to face him, not looking welcoming, "Well, you're about the last person I'd expect to see."

Sam snorts, "Well... I guess I'm full of surprises." Sam leans against one of the polls, "So can I get a beer?"

Jo nods, "Sure. One beer."

Jo brings a bottle of beer over to Sam, who sits down. Jo sets it down on the bar firmly, then turns away, bustling over cleaning up the bar, "So how'd you find me?"

"Well, uh, it's kind of what we do, you know?" Sam says.

"Speaking of 'we', where's Dean and BoBo?" Jo asks.

"Couldn't make it." Sam says.

Jo walks back over to Sam, "So, what're you doing here Sam? I mean we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

"Right. Um, well, that's why I'm here." Sam takes off his jacket, "I kinda - I wanted to see if we could square things, you know?"

As Sam takes off his jacket, Jo notices a circular burn mark with a short line through it on Sam's forearm, "That looks like it hurts."

Sam glances down at the mark, "No. Nah, just, just had a run-in with a hot stove." He chuckles.

"So you were saying something about squaring things?" Jo asks.

"Yeah. Um... Look, I know how you feel about my dad. And I can't say I blame you. He was obsessed - consumed with hunting. And he didn't care who got caught in the cross-fire. And I guess that included your dad. But that was my father. That's not me or Dean." Sam explains.

Jo nods, "What about Isabeau?"

Sam shakes his head, "Well, you know Isabeau, she would put her own life before…"

Sam notices Jo's off look and he laughs a little, "Boy... You're really carrying a torch for her, aren't you?"

Jo scoffs, uncomfortably.

Sam nods, "I'll take that as a yes. It's too bad." Sam smiles tightly, "'Cause see, Dean and I were both dating Isabeau, but you already knew that. Isabeau, she likes you, sure, but not in the way you'd want. I mean, maybe as kind of a... a little sister, you know? I mean, Ellen is her godmother."

Sam laughs, "She kind of thinks you're her little sister that she never asked for, you know?" He pauses, "I'm not trying to hurt you, Jo, I - I'm telling you 'cause I care. And I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. Isabeau is dating us, no one else."

Jo nods bitterly, "That's real kind of you, Sam."

"I mean it." Sam places a hand over hers on the bar, "Isabeau is mine and Dean's."

"She's not a possession… Sam, what's going on?" Jo tries to pull her hand away but he holds it, not letting go.

Sam stares at Jo, "She isn't a possession… but she belongs with us. She's just a friend to you, Jo."

"Maybe you should leave." Jo suggests, not backing down from Sam's intimidating stare.

"Okay." Sam shoves her hand away and stands to leave. Jo turns to face the bar, leaning on it heavily.

Suddenly Sam reappears, grabbing her from behind, turning her around and manhandling her.

"Sam, get off me! Sam! Get off me! Let go!" Jo exclaims, trying to fight back.

She looks over and closes her right hand on a beer bottle, but before she can hit him with it he grabs her wrist and slams it onto the bar, shattering the bottle.

"Jo, Jo, Jo." Sam scolds. He shoves her around until she faces the bar and pins her there, left hand over her wrist, right hand stroking her hair.

Jo screams, "Sam, no! No! Please! Please!"

He slams her forehead into the bar, knocking her out, and he lifts her carefully to lie on the bar, "Sorry, Jo. I'm a little possessive over _my_ Isabeau." He gives an evil grin.

* * *

The jukebox starts playing The Doors' "Crystal Ship". Nearby, Sam is tying Jo in a sitting position to a wide wooden post. She slowly wakes up.

"What the hell is going on? What are you doing?" Jo asks coming to.

"Jo! Jo,are you alright?" Isabeau asks.

Jo looks over to see Isabeau in a similar position, hands tied behind her and around a wooden post, "BoBo? I thought you were with Dean?" Jo asks, ignoring Isabeau's question.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No…" She looks at Sam as he finishes tying up Jo.

Sam walks over to stand in front of Isabeau and looks down at her with a smirk, "Had Isabeau tied up in the trunk the entire time, Jo." He strokes her face, "She was being uncooperative."

Isabeau glares up at Sam, knowing that it wasn't her boyfriend speaking to her, "Bite me." She tries to move away from his touch; usually she would melt into it, but this wasn't Sam. There was a demon possessing him.

Sam chuckles, he roughly grabs her chin to face him, "Kinky, Beau. Wouldn't be the kinkiest thing we've done."

"Let her go." Jo glares at Sam, not liking the way Sam was treating Isabeau. Isabeau might have not returned the same feelings Jo had for her, but Isabeau was still one of her good friends and she didn't want her to get hurt.

Sam looks over, still keeping a hold of Isabeau's chin, "So what exactly did your mom tell you about how your dad died?" He asks, changing the subject, wanting to get under Jo's skin.

"You're not Sam." Jo states.

Sam smiles, "Don't be so sure about that. Answer the question."

Jo says nothing.

Sam sighs heavily, letting go of Isabeau's chin, He pulls up a chair and he sits in front of Isabeau while looking at Jo, his expression shifting to one of open concern.

Sam pulls out a large knife and, without looking, strokes one of Isabeau's thighs with it. Isabeau breathes deeply, watching the knife glide over jean covered thigh.

"Come on. It's me. You can tell me anything, you know that. Answer. The question." Sam demands.

"Fine." Jo spits out, answering for the sake of Isabeau's safety.

"Fine." Sam repeats.

"Our dads were in California: Devil's Gate Reservoir. They were setting a trap for some kind of hellspawn. John was hiding, waiting, and my dad was bait." Jo explains.

Sam laughs, "That's just like John. Oh, I'll bet he dangled Bill like meat on a hook. Then what?"

He gets up and goes around to stand behind Isabeau. Isabeau closes her eyes briefly in relief when Sam removes the knife from her leg.

Jo continues, "The thing showed up. John got too eager, jumped out too soon, got my dad exposed, out in the open. The thing turned around... and killed him."

Sam leans in from behind Isabeau, looking over at Jo, "Hmm. Not quite." He exhales heavily. Isabeau furrows her brow in confusion.

"What?" Jo asks.

"What? Oh. See, it hurt him. It didn't kill him. You really don't know the truth, do you? I bet your mom doesn't either." Sam sits facing Isabeau again, still looking over at Jo.

"Know what?"

"You see, Bill... was all clawed up. Was holding his insides in his hands. He was gurgling and... praying to see you and Ellen one more time. So my dad... killed him. Put him out of his misery like a sick dog." Sam explains.

Tears pool in Jo's eyes, "You're lying."

Sam shakes his head, "I'm not. It's true." Sam mocks her, "My daddy shot your daddy in the head…" He sings out.

"How could you know that?" Jo asks.

Sam stands up, walking over to Jo, "I hear things." He stabs the knife into the pillar, just above head level.

"Why are you doing this to me? To us?" Jo asks.

"Like Daddy like daughter. You're bait. Open up." He shoves a knotted rag in her mouth and ties it around her neck, "That's a girl."

Isabeau struggles as Sam walks over to her, picking up the same knotted rag that was originally used on Isabeau while Sam had her in the trunk of the impala.

"And Isabeau…" He does the same thing to her, shoving the rag in her mouth, tying it around her neck. He leans down, tilting her head to the side to have access to her neck. His lips ghost over her skin, "Is mine."

Just as Sam's lips are about to meet Isabeau's ksin, the door bursts open and Dean enters, gun out, "Sam!"

Sam pulls away from Isabeau and goes over to Jo, grabs the knife from the pillar, his calm expression shifting to one of desperate panic, and places the knife at Jo's throat.

Sam yells, sounding more like Sam again, "I begged you to stop me, Dean."

"Put the knife down, dammit." Dean begs.

"I told you I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, all right?! Dean. Kill me, or I'm going to kill her and then Isabeau. Please. You'd be doing me a favor! Shoot me." Sam screams. He turns to face Dean, arms spread, "Shoot me!"

Dean stares, gun steady, and looks at Isabeau out of the corner of his eye, who is shaking her head in desperation. Dean shakes his head, "No, Sammy, come on."

Dean turns away, lowering the gun.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Dean? Are you that scared of being alone that you'd rather let Jo and Isabeau die?" Sam asks desperately.

Dean turns suddenly, flinging water from a flask at Sam; the water hisses and steams as it strikes him, "That's holy water, you demonic son of a bitch!" Dean shouts.

Sam raises his head and his eyes are the solid black of a demon's. Dean flings more holy water at him. Sam growls, turns and runs, bursting through a window and fleeing.

Dean takes the knife and cuts Jo and Isabeau free. They pull the gags out of their mouths as Dean runs towards the shattered window.

"He was possessed?!" Jo exclaims.

Isabeau throws aside her ropes and gag while walking to Dean. Dean turns and stares at Jo for a moment.

"Dean, come on!" Isabeau exclaims, leaping out the window to follow a Possessed-Sam. Dean leaps through the window after her.

"Dean! BoBo!" Jo shouts.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and a Possessed-Sam stalk each other through a dim, crowded warehouse. Dean and Sam both with a handgun and Isabeau's eyes glowing violet.

"So, who are you?" Dean asks, him and Isabeau stealthily keep hidden behind boxes.

"I got lots of names." Sam answers somewhere in the warehouse.

Isabeau grits her teeth, "You've been in Sam since he disappeared, haven't you?"

"You shoulda seen your face when you thought he murdered that guy." Sam shakes his head, "Pathetic."

"Why didn't you kill us? You had a dozen chances." Dean points out.

Sam throws an object to the side, causing Isabeau and Dean to look in the direction of the noise, letting Sam slip by unnoticed, "Nah, that would have been too easy. Where's the fun in that? You see, this was a test. Wanted to see if I could push you far enough to waste Sam. Should've known you wouldn't have the sack. Anyway. Fun's over now."

"Well, I hope you got your kicks. 'Cause you're gonna pay hell for this, we're gonna make sure of that." Isabeau growls out.

"How? You can't hurt me." Sam chuckles, "Not without hurting your little boyfriend, Isabeau."

Dean puts his gun away and pulls out the flask of holy water instead.

"See, I think you're gonna die, Dean. You and every other hunter I can find. One look as Sam's dewey, sensitive eyes? They'll let me right in their door. And then I'm gonna take Isabeau with me." Sam explains.

Sam gets up, heading outside and Dean and Isabeau follow. They walk onto an open-air dock, looking around in confusion, seeing no trace of Sam anywhere.

Dean and Isabeau exchange a look, walking out in the open. They walk over to the side of the dock and look around at the water.

Sam steps out, takes aim, and shoots Dean as him and Isabeau are turning around. Sam shoots Dean in the shoulder.

Dean is knocked into the water with a splash.

"Dean!" Isabeau shouts and before she could dive in after him, Sam runs up to the edge, grabbing a hold of Isabeau.

He pins her arms behind her back with one hand and places the gun under her chin with the other. "You son of a bitch!" Isabeau growls out, struggling in his hold. She didn't want to hurt Sam; she felt helpless, she couldn't use her powers against Sam.

Sam peers over where Dean fell. Not seeing Dean in the water, he smiles, "Just me and you now, Isabeau."

* * *

Jo is walking quickly through the docks, a flashlight in one hand and her cell phone in the other. She calls Isabeau's number, and her voicemail picks up; 'This is Isabeau. Leave a message.'

Jo hangs up the phone with a sigh of frustration and continues searching. Moments later she calls Dean instead, and this time hears Dean's ringtone coming from below her, by the water.

She runs down to where he is lying unconscious at the bottom of a ramp, "Dean! Dean!"

Dean wakes with a groan, coughing. Jo helps him sit up, "Take it easy."

Dean is completely soaked, shuddering and groaning in pain, "Where's Sam? Isabeau?"

"I don't know, I've been looking for you." Jo answers, "Come on, get up."

She helps him to stand, and he leans on her heavily, groaning, clutching his shoulder, as they walk back to the bar.

* * *

Dean is seated at a table, gripping the edge with his right hand as Jo digs the bullet out of his left shoulder. He groans painfully at her work.

"Don't be a baby!" Jo scolds, doing her best.

"God!" Dean exclaims.

"Almost. All right, got it. Got it." Jo drops the bloodstained bullet in a glass of clear alcohol.

Dean takes a few healthy swigs from a bottle of whiskey, "God, you're a butcher."

"You're welcome." Jo says sarcastically.

"All right, are we done?" Dean asks impatiently. He needed to get to Sam and Isabeau. Isabeau… he didn't know why this demon was so attached to her. Yeah he was worried about Sam, of course he was. But with knowledge that demons sort of have a 'no kill' policy on Isabeau and the fact that yellow-eyes _needs_ her, had him freaking out inside.

"Would you give me two minutes to patch you up? You can't help Sam and Isabeau if you're bleeding to death." Jo says.

Dean takes another swig as Jo continues layering gauze and tape over the wound, "So, how did you know? That he was possessed?" Jo asks him.

Dean winces, "Uh, ah, I didn't, I just knew that it couldn't have been him."

Jo thinks for a moment, "Hey, Dean."

"Yeah?"

"I know demons lie, but... do they ever tell the truth too?" She asks.

"Uh, um, yeah, sometimes, I guess. Especially if they know it'll mess with your head." Dean takes another swig, "Why do you ask?"

Jo shakes her head, "Nothing. Doesn't matter. So do you have any idea where he's headed to next?"

"Well, so far he's been going after the nearest hunter, so... closest one I know lives in South Dakota." Dean informs.

"Okay good, I'm done. Let's go." Jo says getting up, eager to help Dean in saving Sam and Isabeau.

"Yeah." Dean chuckles, standing up, "You're not coming."

Jo looks at him in confusion, "The hell I'm not. I'm a part of this now."

"I can't say it more plain than this. You try to follow me and I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be." Dean says, picking up his jacket and walking away.

"Wait." Jo calls.

Dean turns back, and Jo hands out a prescription pill bottle, "Here. Take these, they'll help with the pain."

Dean takes them, "Thanks. I'll have Beau call you later, okay?"

Jo watches him leave. "No you won't." She says to herself when he's gone.

* * *

It's raining as Dean drives down a dark stretch of road and he dials a number on his cell.

* * *

A phone rings several times, until Sam's hands cut the phone line running outside the house.

* * *

Dean looks at his phone and sighs, "Dammit."

* * *

Sam walks slowly up the steps to the house and knocks on the door.

It opens to reveal Bobby,who grins and laughs with pleasure, "Sam!"

Sam bares his teeth in a smile, "Hey, Bobby."

"It's been a while." Bobby points out as Sam grins sheepishly. Bobby moves aside, "Well, come on in."

Sam enters slowly, glancing at the ceiling, and Bobb shuts the door behind him. They walk together into Bobby's study, which is dimly lit and covered wall to wall with stacks of books and papers.

"So what brings you?" Bobby asks.

"Working a job nearby, and thought I'd stop in and say hey." Sam explains.

"Well, where's Dean and Izzy?"

Sam laughs, "Dean's waiting for Isabeau to back at our motel room. She's a little… tied up with coven stuff. They needed her back home."

Bobby goes into the back room, leaving Sam alone, who eyes the ceiling again.

"Oh yeah? I hope Izzy's not pushing herself too much. I hope you two take care of her." Bobby calls from the back room.

Sam's eyes cloud over black for a moment, "We always take care of her, Bobby."

Bobby returns with a beer in each hand and he hands one to SAM, "Well, it's good to see you."

He raises his bottle, "To John."

Sam smiles, "To Dad."

They toast and swig the beer, Sam turns to look up at the ceiling again and as he swallows the beer he spews suddenly, choking, falling to his hands and knees and coughing and gagging painfully.

Bobby sips his beer, unconcerned.

"What'd you do?!" Sam growls.

"A little holy water in the beer. Sam never would have noticed. But then, you're not Sam are you. Don't try to con a con man." Bobby explains.

Bobby looks over as Isabeau steps into the room, eyes glowing violet and arms crossed. Bobby looks down at Sam, "And never hurt my goddaughter."

He slams his fist into Sam's face, knocking him out.

* * *

Sam is tied to a chair, before a fire and under the very same protective circle they used on Meg. Dean smacks him in the face to wake him, "Hey."

Sam groans, waking up. He looks up and sees the painted devil's trap. Dean looks up too.

Sam sighs and then smirks, "Dean. Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

Sam looks over at Isabeau, "And Isabeau, I see those ropes didn't hold you for too long. I thought you liked it."

Isabeau crosses her arms and steps forward, "How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?" She growls.

Sam smirks at her, "Oh, careful, now. Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging."

Dean shakes his head, "Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." He turns to pick up a bucket, "You, on the other hand…"

Dean tosses a bucketful of holy water on Sam, who sizzles and roars. "Feel like talking now?!" Dean shouts.

Sam winces, "Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue."

Isabeau smirks, shaking her head, "No, you won't be in him long enough. Gramps."

Bobby opens a book and starters reading in Latin, "Exorcisamus te, omnes in mundus spiritus omnes satanica potestas, omnes incursio…"

Dean talks over Bobby, "See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up? You're not getting Sam. You understand me? 'Cause I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

Sam struggles painfully, then throws back his head and laughs maniacally. Bobby cuts off in surprise.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan." Sam spits out.

Bobby continues, "Humiliares sub potente magnu dei…"

Sam smirks, "Oops. Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks." Sam lowers his head and begins growling Latin, "Spiritus in mundus, un glorum suarum umitite palatum iram, domine…"

The fire behind him flares and the room shakes as Sam continues.

"This isn't going like I pictured! What's going on, Bobby?" Dean asks, panicked.

Bobby moves around Sam, pulling back Sam's sleeve to reveal the burn mark on Sam's forearm as Sam continues to chant.

"It's a binding link! It's like a lock! He's locked himself inside Sam's body!" Bobby exclaims.

"What the hell do we do?"

"I don't know!" Bobby shouts.

Sam throws back his head and screams; the shaking walls and ceilings begin to crack, breaking the protective circle.

Sam's eyes are black as he lowers his head, "There. That's better."

He jerks his head left and Bobby and Isabeau go flying. He jerks his head right and Dean goes flying, landing heavily against the far wall.

The holy water flask falls from Dean's hand and he is flinching in pain from his shoulder.

Sam rips free of the restraints and stalks over to Dean, "You know when people want to describe the worse possible thing? They say it's like hell."

Sam kneels in front of Dean, fisting his left hand in Dean's shirt and clocking him hard with a right jab. Dean grabs onto Sam's shirt with his right hand.

"You know there's a reason for that. Hell is like, um…" Sam hits Dean again, "Well, it's like hell. Even for demons."

He hits him again. Dean is groggy and bleeding heavily from his nose. "It's a prison, made of bone and flesh and blood and fear." Sam says.

He hits him again and then grabs Dean's head, holding it steady, "And you sent me back there."

Dean sneers, "Meg." So that was why the demon was obsessed with Isabeau. It was Meg the entire time.

Sam shakes his head, "No. Not anymore. Now I'm Sam."

He hits him one more time, "By the way," He digs his right thumb into Dean's bullet wound, "I saw your Dad there - he says 'howdy'."

Sam digs in further and Dean tries to pull Sam's hand away, groaning in pain, "All that I had to hold onto, was that I would climb out one day, and that I was going to torture you. Nice and slow. Like pulling the wings off an insect."

He shoves Dean's grasping hand away, "But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you do to yourself, is it?" Sam chuckles, "I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your Dad, and deep down... you know that you can't save your brother. They'd have been better off without you."

Sam smirks, "Isabeau would be better off without you."

Sam rears back to hit Dean again, but suddenly Isabeau is there, grabbing Sam's arm. Her eyes glow a fiery orange, "I'm sorry, Sam." Her hand burns red and presses it into the mark on Sam's arm, burning it.

Sam screams in pain, then screams again as black demon smoke billows out of him and up the chimney.

Dean pulls himself up painfully. Sam falls back, then comes to himself, scrabbling and looking around in confusion, then grabs his arm in sudden pain.

"Sammy?" Dean asks, hoping that it was Sam.

Sam looks around at Dean, Isabeau and Bobby in confusion, "Did I miss anything?"

Dean rears back and right-hooks Sam in the cheek, then rolls his eyes and collapses. Sam grabs his cheek in confusion.

Isabeau sighs, plopping down to the ground, "This has been one long ass day."

* * *

Sam is sitting behind Bobby's table with an icepack on his arm and Dean is on the other side of the table groggily holding an ice bag to his face.

Isabeau sits in between the two of them, patching up their wounds with the paste they've used countless times now to speed up the healing process.

"By the way, you really look like crap, Dean." Sam says cautiously as Isabeau carefully spreads the paste on Dean's eyebrow wound.

"Yeah, right back atcha." Dean says glancing back at him, and puts the ice bag back on his face.

Isabeau pulls away from Dean and gestures for Sam to give her his arm. Sam smiles weakly at Isabeau, giving her his arm. He frowns when he notices the rope burns around her wrists, "Beau, I'm-"

Isabeau places a finger on his lips, "Shh, just shut up and let me help you two." She removes her finger and places a light kiss on his lips.

Dean pouts, "No kiss for me, Sweetheart?"

Isabeau rolls her eyes and leans down, connecting her lips with his, "Needy boy." She comments with a chuckle and gets back to dealing with Sam's arm.

Bobby walks in slowly, looking concerned.

Isabeau looks over, "What is it, Gramps?"

"You three ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandell?" Bobby asks them.

Dean purses his lips, "Why do you ask?"

"Just heard from a friend. Wandell's dead. Murdered in his own house." Bobby informs them.

Sam swallows and looks down.

"You wouldn't know anything about that." Bobby asks.

"No, sir. Never heard of the guy." Dean answers.

Isabeau bites her lip. Sam looks up, "Dean-"

Bobby nods, "Good. Keep it that way. Wandell's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up. They're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

Dean nods, "We better hit the road…" Dean stands up with the help of Isabeau. Dean looks over at his brother, "If, uh, you can remember where we parked the car."

Sam stands up as well and Isabeau gathers her things.

"Here. Take these." Bobby hands each of them a small metal charm.

"What are they?" Sam asks.

"Charms." Bobby answers, "They'll fend off possession. That demon's still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in ya."

Isabeau frowns, shifting her bag of things over her shoulder, "That sounds vaguely dirty, but uh, thanks, Gramps."

Bobby smiles at her, "You're welcome. You three be careful now."

"You too." Sam smiles at Bobby. Bobby looks back at him seriously, not returning the smile.

At the door, Dean tosses the icebag back to Bobby and Bobby smiles a little at Dean.

* * *

Dean is driving down a dark stretch of highway. Sam is frowning quietly in the passenger seat and Isabeau sits in between them.

Dean glances over at Sam concerned, "You okay? Sam? Is that you in there?"

Sam glances over, "I was awake for some of it, guys. I watched myself kill Wandell with my own two hands. I saw the light go out in his eyes."

Isabeau stares forward, lost in her own thoughts as both Sam and Dean reach for her hands, both needing her touch.

"That must have been awful." Dean says.

"That's not my point. I almost carved up Jo, too. I held Isabeau against her will. But no matter what I did, you wouldn't shoot." Sam says.

It was the right move, Sam. It wasn't you."

"Yeah, this time. What about next time?" Sam asks.

Dean glances over, thinking, "Sam, when Dad told me... that I might have to kill you, it was only if I couldn't save you. Now, if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna save you."

After a pause, Dean laughs softly.

Isabeau breaks away from her thoughts, looking over, "What?"

"Nothing." Dean continues smiling.

"Dean, what?" Sam asks.

Dean looks over with a wide grin, "Dude, you - you like, full-on had a girl inside you for like a whole week." He laughs.

Sam's frown cracks, and he laughs with Dean.

Isabeau snorts, "That's pretty naughty." She chuckles along with her boyfriends as they drive on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bobby is Isabeau's godfather! Surprise! Honestly, who wouldn't want Bobby and Ellen as their godparents.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	31. Tall Tales Pt.1

Isabeau rubs at her white lily tattoo on her wrist as she sits on the couch next to Sam. She huffs, moving her hand away from her tattoo to continue flipping through the pile of books laid out in front of them on the table.

Sam is doing the same and he rubs his face tiredly. Dean is sitting up on the bed next to them, listening to the radio and eating something messy from a disposable plate.

Sam looks over, annoyed at the loud, obnoxious noises Dean was making, "Dude. You mind not eating those on _my_ bed?"

Isabeau pauses mid-flipping a page in her book.

Dean shakes his head, "No, I don't mind." He eats another handful of his food, "How's research going?"

"You know how it's going?" Sam asks sarcastically, slamming his book shut, "Slow. You know how it would go a heck of a lot faster? If I had my computer."

Isabeau lets go of the page she was holding onto and her eye twitches.

Dean nods sarcastically, "Hmm."

Sam opens another book, trying to get back to researching but looks over at Dean, frustrated, "Can you turn that down please?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Dean turns the music up louder.

Isabeau lets her head fall into her hands, trying to calm her headache from the both of them.

Sam looks over annoyed, "You know what? Maybe, uh, maybe you should just go somewhere for a while." Sam says loudly.

Dean shuts off the radio and looks up, snappish, "Hey, I'd love to. That's a great idea. Unfortunately, my car's all screwed to hell."

Sam turns to his brother, "Dean, I told you, I have nothing to do wi—"

He's cut off by a loud knock on the door.

Isabeau looks up from her hands and eagerly gets up from her spot, "Thank the fucking lord." She says going to the door. She looks through the peephole, looks back at Sam and Dean and then opens the door to reveal Bobby.

Isabeau smiles, "Hey, Gramps."

Bobby smiles as him and Isabeau embrace in a quick hug, "Heya, Izzy." The two pull away and he enters, hands in his pockets, "Boys."

Dean stands from the bed and approaches, "Hey, Bobby."

"It's good to see you again so soon." Bobby tells them.

Sam gets up and pats Bobby on the shoulder, "Yeah, uh, thanks for coming. Come on in."

Dean shaks Bobby's hand firmly when he walks up to him, "Thank god you're here."

"So um... what didn't you want to talk to me on the phone about?" Bobby asks them.

"It's this job we're working. We - We weren't sure you'd believe us." Sam chuckles.

Bobby scoffs, "Well, I can believe a lot." Bobby slings an arm around Isabeau's shoulders, "With this crazy kid, I think I've seen it all."

Isabeau smiles a little and then frowns, "Yeah, no, no, it's just, we've never seen anything like it-"

"Not even close." Dean adds in.

"And we thought we could use some fresh eyes." Sam says.

Bobby lets go of Isabeau and shrugs, "Well, why don't you begin at the beginning?"

"Yeah, um, all right, please." Sam gestures to the bed. Bobby picks up the empty takeout tray and peers at it, sets it aside, and sits down.

Sam begins to explain as he and Isabeau pull up chairs to sit on and Dean sits down at the edge of the other bed, "So, it all started when we caught wind of an obit. See, a professor took a nosedive from a fourth story window, only there's a campus legend that the building's haunted. So we pretexted as reporters from the local paper."

* * *

Sam is sitting at a table with a stocky jock boy, Curtis, and an attractive girl, Jen, and he sets a voice recorder down on the table.

"Yeah, we both had the professor for Ethics and Morality." Curtis says, taking a drink of his beer.

"Yeah? So why do you think he did it?" Sam asks.

"Who knows? I mean, he was tenured, wife and kids. His book is like a really big deal. Then again…" She leans in conspiratorially, "Who's to say it was suicide?"

Curtis scoffs, "Jen, come on."

Sam shakes his head, "Well, what else could it be?"

"Well, you know about Crawford Hall?" Jen asks.

"No, I don't, actually." Sam says, perking up in his seat.

"It's a bunch of crap, it's a total urban legend." Curtis says.

Jen looks over at Curtis, "Yeah, well, Heather's mom went to school here, and she knew the girl?"

"Wait, what girl?" Sam asks, confused.

Jen turns back to Sam, "Thirty years ago, this girl was having an affair with some professor. He broke it off, she jumped out the window and killed herself."

"You know her name?"

Jen shakes her head, "No. But they say she jumped from room six-six-nine. Get it? You turn the nine upside down?"

Sam nods and Curtis chuckles.

Jen continues, "So now she haunts the building. And anyone who sees her? They don't live to tell the tale."

"Well if no one lives to tell the tale, then how does the tale get told?" Curtis jokingly asks.

"Curtis! Shut up!" Jen scolds.

Sam shifts in his chair, "You know what, uh – Thanks a lot guys. Excuse me."

Elsewhere in the bar, three shot glasses filled with dark bluish-purple liquid. Dean takes them and he slams all three in succession.

Sam approaches, "Dean. Dean, what are you drinking?"

Dean turns and burps, "I don't know, man, I think they're called purple nurples?"

"Seriously?" Isabeau comes up to the both of them, crossing her arms at Dean.

Sam smiles down at Isabeau. She was wearing a long, black flowy dress that had threads of silver all throughout it and had a slit on one side, her black leather jacket, black leather boots and all of her usual accessories that she wore everyday.

He always liked the softer side of her look. The flowy dresses added with a little bit of an edge to it. The only time she wore outfits like that was when she had her lunch dates with her Uncle C, and he looked forward to it every time.

So it surprised him when she decided to dress like that on a normal day; granted they weren't exactly hunting anything so it was fine.

Isabeau scoffs at Dean who smiles at her brightly, "Purple nurples?"

Sam shakes his head, wrapping an arm around Isabeau's waist, "Okay, well listen. I think maybe we should go check out the professor's office."

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. Come on, Sweetheart. Let's just have a little fun tonight, huh?" Dean asks, pulling Isabeau away from Sam and into his own arms as the bartender sets down another round of 'purple nurples'.

"Dean-"

"We rarely get a chance to enjoy ourselves. And plus, you still haven't talked about your college days." Dean smirks down at Isabeau, "I would love to know what you did. I bet you were feisty."

Isabeau rolls her eyes fondly, patting Dean's shoulder, "Not when you're three sheets to the wind, Dearie."

Sam and Isabeau share a look when Dean takes another shot of 'purple nurples'. Dean gives another burp and grins at Sam, "Sammy, come on. One night of fun." He grins at Sam suggestively as he pulls Isabeau even closer.

* * *

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a minute." Dean says, interrupting Sam. Isabeau just rubs her temple at the two of them.

"What?" Sam asks, confused, looking at Bobby and Isabeau.

"Come on, dude, that's not how it happened."

"No? So you never drank a purple nurple?" Sam asks, amused.

Dean blinks, "Yeah, maybe that, but... I don't say things like 'feisty'. And Isabeau was with me the entire time."

Sam raises his brows, "Oh, really?"

Bobby looks over at Isabeau, seeing that she was staring at her two boyfriends, deadpan. She wasn't amused by any of this and she showed no sign of who was telling the truth.

Dean nods, "Yeah, she was." He turns to Bobby, backing up his story, "Isabeau and I were going over the local ghost stories and… enjoying a little time together as Sam was on his own."

* * *

Dean smiles down at Isabeau softly as she leans against the bar. She was dressed in a black velvet underwire bustier skater dress, a black leather jacket and black heeled combat boots. Her hair was slightly curled and had a tiny bit of make-up on.

Dean loved her usual look, but every time Isabeau wore something classy, he felt like he would trip over his own two feet. So, when Isabeau decided to dress up for the night, he couldn't help but look at her like a lovesick puppy.

They each hold a purple nurple and toast with them. Isabeau smiles, "Here's to…"

"Here's to us." Dean finishes and they both down the shot and set their glasses on the table.

Isabeau moves closer to Dean, biting her lip as she stares at Dean, "My god, what did I do to deserve you and Sam."

Dean smiles as their bodies lightly press up against each other, "I think I should be asking you the question, Beau." Dean glances down at her lips, "But no time for that now. We were talking about this urban legend."

Isabeau blinks and chuckles, "Sorry, I just... can't even concentrate. Being around you, I sometimes can't help myself." She reaches up and pulls his head towards her for a slow kiss.

Sam approaches behind them with an extremely dubious expression and his jacket slung over his shoulder, "Dean! What do you think you're doing?" Sam asks in an exaggerated prissy tone and with an extreme bitchface.

Dean pulls away from Isabeau's lips, but his hands stay on her waist, "Sam, please. If you wouldn't mind, give me five minutes here." He says smoothly.

Isabeau smiles at Sam, "Five minutes won't hurt? Right, Stretch?"

"Guys, this is a very serious investigation. We don't have any time for any of your blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah Blah!" Sam says, annoyed.

Dean cups Isabeau's face and leans in to kiss her again as Sam continues blahing behind him.

"Blah!" Sam shouts.

* * *

Isabeau raises a brow at both of her boyfriends. They were acting like complete children and it annoyed her to high holy hell. But she was also fascinated with the way each of them described her.

"Right! And that's how it really happened." Sam says sarcastically.

Dean shrugs, pursing his lips.

"I don't sound like that, Dean!" Sam exclaims.

"That's what you sound like to me." Dean answers.

Bobby stares at them, "Okay. What's going on with you two?" Bobby looks over at Isabeau, "Izzy?"

Isabeau turns sideways in her chair, draping her legs over one of the arms, "They've been like this the entire week, Gramps. At first I thought it was just brothers being brothers, but…" Isabeau trails off with a shrug.

Sam shakes his head, "Nothing. No - it's nothing." He reassures Bobby.

"No, come on. You're bickering like an old married couple." Bobby says.

"Can't wait for that." Isabeau mutters under her breath. Sam gives her a look at her comment and she raises her hands in defense.

"No, see married couples can get divorced. Me and him, we're like, uh, Siamese twins." Dean gets up and crosses to the kitchenette.

"It's _conjoined_ twins!" Sam says like he's said many times before, which he has.

Dean glances back at Bobby, "See what I mean?"

"Look, it…" Sam sighs, "We've just been on the road for too long. Tight quarters, all that. Don't worry about it."

Isabeau now gives Sam a look, "Yeah, and you wonder why I always say, 'let's take a break from hunting'. Go back to my home or even just take a few days for ourselves."

Bobby nods, "She's not wrong. But, continue, Sam."

"So, anyway. We figured it might be a haunting, so we went to check out the scene of the crime." Sam explains.

* * *

The janitor lets Sam, Isabeau and Dean, who were posing as electricians, into the professor's office. Isabeau narrows her eyes at him, and then shakes off a weird feeling she was getting from him.

"So, how long've you been working here?" Isabeau asks, dressed in her regular clothing; not in any sort of dress as Sam or Dean depicted back at the bar.

The janitor smiles at her as he unlocks the door, "I've been mopping this floor for six years." He turns on a light as the four walk into the professor's office, "There you go, guys."

When they step in, Sam pulls out his EMF reader and the janitor looks down at it in confusion, "What the heck's that for?"

"Just finding wires in the walls." Sam explains.

The janitor leans against one of the archways in the office, crossing his arms, "Huh. Wow. Not sure why you're wiring up this office. Not gonna do the professor much good."

Dean looks over, "Why's that?"

"He's dead." The janitor says bluntly.

"Oh. What happened?" Dean asks, walking to the other side of the office.

The janitor pushes off from the archway, pointing at the window, "He went out that window. Right there."

Isabeau scoffs, "Yeah? Were you working that night?" She asks.

The janitor stares at her for a second before answering, "I'm the one who found him."

Sam comes to stand behind Isabeau, "You see it happen?"

Dean sees a bowl of nuts on the side table and eats one.

"Nope. I just saw him come up here, and uh... well." The janitor trails off.

"What?" Sam asks with a smile.

"He wasn't alone." The janitor informs them.

Dean comes over, his cheeks stuffed with nuts. He's holding the bowl and continues eating them, "Who was he with?" Dean asks, muffled.

* * *

"Come on! I ate one, maybe two!" Dean exclaims.

Isabeau groans, "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Just let me tell it, okay?" Sam asks Dean, annoyed.

* * *

"He was with a young lady. I told the cops about her, but uh, I guess they never found her." The janitor shakes his head.

Isabeau nods, "You saw this girl go in, huh? But did you ever see her come out?"

"Now that you mention it, no."

"You ever see her before, around?" Sam asks.

"Well, not her." The janitor faintly smiles.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks, still muffled and Sam glares at him. Isabeau just rolls her eyes.

"I don't mean to cast aspersions on a dead guy, but uh… Mister Morality here? He brought a lot of girls up here. Got more ass than a toilet seat." The janitor jokes.

Isabeau snorts and Dean laughs delightedly, hitting Sam in the chest lightly. Sam glares at Dean again, and shares a grin with Isabeau. Isabeau continues to smile a little as she stares at the janitor. She liked him; he sort of had her kind of humor.

"One more thing. This building, it only has four stories, right?" Sam asks.

The janitor nods, "Yeah."

"So there wouldn't be a room six-six-nine?"

The janitor shakes his head, "'Course not. Why do you ask?"

Sam and Isabeau share a look, "Aw, just curious. Thanks." Isabeau says, shaking her head.

They look over, seeing Dean chewing with his mouth open, stuffed full of nuts.

* * *

They return to their motel room. "Well, no traces of EMF, that's for sure." Sam says as he and Isabeau sit at the table.

"And the room six-six-nine's a load of crap." Dean says and gets a beer out of the fridge for all of them.

"So what do you think? The professor's just a jumper? A legend's just a legend?" Sam asks as him and Isabeau take off the jackets they used to pose as electricians.

Isabeau takes her beer, opening it, "I don't know. I mean, the uh, girl the janitor described, that's pretty weird."

"Yeah." Sam says and opens his own beer.

"We oughta check out the history of the building." Dean says and takes a sip of his own beer, "See if any co-ed ganked herself there." He heads to the bathroom.

"Yeah, you're right." Sam agrees and he opens up his laptop, then stares at the screen, confused, "Dude. Were you on my computer?" He calls out.

Dean comes back out of the bathroom, confused, "No."

"Oh really?" Sam asks, "'Cause it's frozen now. On uh, ." Isabeau chokes on her beer, and coughs into her arm to cover up her laugh. Dean thinks for a moment, frowns, winces, and retreats.

"Dean! Would you – just – don't touch my stuff anymore, okay?" Sam exclaims.

Dean pokes his head back out, "Why don't you control your O.C.D.?"

* * *

"But did you dig up anything about the building? Or on the suicidal co-ed?" Bobby asks them.

Sam shakes his head as he stands, "No. History's clean."

"Then it's not a haunting."

"Maybe not. Tell you the truth, we're not really sure." Dean says as he stands in front of Bobby.

"What do you mean, you're not sure?" Bobby asks, narrowing his eyes.

"Well... it's weird." Isabeau says getting up from her chair, "Like, remember junior year of college? Fall semester I had that uh," Isabeau glances at Sam and Dean.

Isabeau clears her throat, "Thing. That one weekend I went away?" Sam and Dean exchange a look; what happened fall of her junior year in college?

Bobby nods, "Yeah."

Isabeau chuckles, "Well, uh, weirder than that."

Bobby's eyes widened, "Weirder?"

"Oh yeah. Weirder." Isabeau confirms.

* * *

Curtis walks alone through the campus. He hears a noise and turns, startled, then keeps walking, laughing at himself.

He hears another noise and stops, looking straight up. He walks more carefully, hands in pockets.

Suddenly a bright light whooshes on overhead and he cringes, arms over his head.

Curtis starts running, but trips and falls; a bright beam of light shoots down and grabs him like a tractor beam, pulling him up, screaming and flailing.

* * *

"Aliens?" Bobby asks in disbelief.

"Yeah." Sam confirms.

"Aliens?" Bobby asks again, not sure if her heard the three of them correctly.

"Yeah." Dean nods.

"Look, even if they are real, they're sure as hell not coming to earth and swiping people." Bobby tells them.

"Hey, believe me. We know." Dean says.

"My whole life I've never found evidence of an honest-to-God abduction. It's all just cranks and pranks." Bobby explains.

Isabeau shrugs, "Yeah, that's what we thought. But… we figured we'd at least talk to the guy."

* * *

Dean and Isabeau are sitting next to Curtis, who has three full shot glasses lined up in front of him. Sam is standing nearby and Curtis takes a shot.

"Hey, you ought to give those purple nurples a shot." Dean chuckles but then stops when Curtis gives him a look.

Sam clears his throat, "So, what happened, Curtis?"

Curtis looks up with a shrug "You won't believe me. Nobody does."

Isabeau sighs, "Give us a chance."

Curtis points at them, "I do _not_ want this in the papers."

Dean purses his lips, "Off the record, then."

Curtis sets down his empty shot glass "I, uh... I blacked out, and… I lost time, and when I woke up, I don't know where I was."

* * *

Curtis is lying on a medical table, bright lights in his eyes. A blurry alien face appears above him.

* * *

Sam sits down on the other side of Isabeau, "Then what?"

"They did tests on me. And, uh…" Curtis takes another shot, "They, uh... They probed me."

Sam turns his face away, struggling not to laugh. Isabeau's lips twitches, trying not to smile, and she hits Sam's arm discreetly.

Dean takes a moment, "They probed you?"

Curtis nods, "Yeah, they probed me. Again and a-again and – And again." He takes his last shot and the three of them all share an amused look, "And again and again and again... And then one more time."

Dean stares at him, "Yikes."

"And that's not even the worst of it."

Isabeau blinks, "How could it get any worse? Some alien made you his bitch." She smirks.

Curtis glares and Isabeau stops smirking, looking down briefly.

"They... They made me... Slow dance!" Curtis exclaims.

* * *

Curtis is slow dancing with a short alien figure on a dance floor with a rotating disco ball above him.

* * *

Isabeau is tilting her head, flabbergasted by Curtis's words. Dean looks over at Sam to see if he heard correctly. Sam nods with a frown and then shakes his head.

* * *

"You guys are exaggerating again, huh?" Bobby stands in front of the three of them.

"No." Sam, Isabeau and Dean all say in unison, sitting on the couch. Isabeau rubs her face; she wishes she was exaggerating.

Bobby shrugs, "Then this frat boy's just nuts."

"We're not so sure." Dean says.


	32. Tall Tales Pt.2

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are standing over a large, perfectly round scorch mark in the ground. "I'm telling you, guys, This was made by some kind of jet engine." Sam says.

Isabeau leans against the railing, "You mean some saucer-shaped jet engine?"

Sam takes Isabeau's hand, "What else could it be?"

Dean shakes his head, "What the hell?"

"I don't know."

"No, seriously, dude. What the hell?" Dean asks again.

"I don't know." Sam repeats himself., "I mean, first the haunting. Now this? The timing alone, there's got to be some kind of connection."

Isabeau leans back into Dean's chest and he wraps his arms around her from behind, "You mean between the angry spirit and the sexed-up E.T.? What could the connection possibly be?" She asks, at a loss.

* * *

"But what could we do? So we just kept on digging." Dean explains.

* * *

The three of them are talking with another college student. Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, "So, you and this guy, Curtis, you were in the same house?" She asks.

The student nods, "Yeah."

"You heard what happened to him, right?" Dean asks him.

"Yeah, he says it was aliens, but, you know, whatever." The student says.

"Look, man, I... I know this all has to be so hard." Sam says with exaggerated concern.

The student shakes his head, "Um, not so much."

"But I want you to know... I'm here for you. You brave little soldier. I acknowledge your pain. Come here." Sam grabs him in a hug as Dean pressed his lips into a thin line and Isabeau facepalms.

Sam has tears coming to his eyes, "You're too precious for this world."

* * *

Sam looks over at Dean, "I never said that!"

Dean shrugs, "You're always saying pansy stuff like that."

Isabeau's eye twitches once again and Bobby stares at the two brothers. How the hell did his goddaughter deal with these two on a daily basis, let alone date them.

* * *

"Well, um... Yeah, uh, thanks." The student says, confused and Sam releases him, giving him pats on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the hug, but, uh, I'm okay. Really. To tell you the truth, whatever happened to Curtis, he had it coming." The student tells them.

Dean nods, "Why is that?"

"He's our pledge master. Put us through hell this semester, and got off on it. So now he knows how we feel." The student explains.

Isabeau hums and Sam looks at her with his puppy eyes. She frowns at how cute he looked and grabs his hand, "It's okay."

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam return to their hotel room. "Still doesn't make a lick of sense. But, hey, at least there's one connection." Dean says, taking off his jacket.

"Between what?" Sam asks, walking to his bed.

Isabeau throws off her own jacket, grabbing one of her grimoires and taking a seat in one of the chairs in their room, "The victims. The professor and the frat guy. They're both dicks." She says, flipping open her grimoire.

Dean nods, taking the chair next to her as Sam rifles through his bag, "That's a connection?" Sam asks.

Dean shakes his head, "You got anything better to go on, I'd love to hear it."

Sam looks in his bag and then over at Dean, "Where's my laptop?

"I don't know." Dean answers and Isabeau looks up from her book, shrugging, not knowing where it was.

Sam continues to search, getting more frustrated as Dean speaks, "Think about it. A philandering professor gets a dead girl. A pledge master gets hazed."

"I left it in here." Sam points to his bag.

"You obviously didn't. I mean, these punishments, they're almost poetic. Actually, it'd be more like a limerick, but still –"

Sam approaches Dean, "Okay, hilarious. Ha ha. Where'd you hide it?"

"What, your computer?" Dean asks. Isabeau's eyes switch back and forth between the two, feeling a fight coming on.

Sam nods, "Yeah, where'd you hide it?"

Dean shakes his head, "Why would I take your computer?"

"Because no one else could have, Dean! Isabeau rarely uses it and she wouldn't take it. We keep the door locked. We never let any maids in." Sam exclaims.

Dean smirks, "Looks like you lost it, Poindexter."

Sam stares at him for a moment and then licks his lip, "Dude, you know something? I put up with a lot from you."

Isabeau's eyes widened at Sam's statement.

Dean furrows his brow, "What are you talking about? I'm a joy to be around."

"Yeah? Your dirty socks in the sink, your food in the fridge." Sam shouts. Isabeau purses her lips and nods to herself. Sometimes, Dean was a little gross.

"What's wrong with my food?" Dean asks.

"It's not food anymore, Dean! It's Darwinism."

"I like it."

"All I ask from you, the one thing, is that you don't mess with my stuff!" Sam huffs out.

"You done?" Dean asks.

"You know, how would you feel if I screwed with the Impala?" Sam asks, threatening Dean's impala, knowing that it would cut deep with Dean.

Dean perks up in his seat, glaring at Sam, "It'd be the last thing you ever did."

* * *

"Did you take his computer?" Bobby asks. Dean, Isabeau and Sam sitting at the table. Isabeau has her legs crossed and is resting her head in the palm of her hand as her elbow sits on top of the table.

"Serves him right, but, no." Dean answers.

Sam glares at Dean, "Well, I didn't lose it. 'Cause I don't lose things."

Dean nods, "Oh, that's right, yeah, 'cause he's Mr. Perfect."

Isabeau looks up at Bobby, "I'm way too sober for this shit." She takes Dean's beer and takes a swig of it.

Bobby nods, gently taking the beer away from Isabeau who pouts at him for doing so, "Okay, okay. Why don't you just tell me what happened next?"

Dean kisses his teeth, sighing, "There was one more victim."

Sam rubs his face, "Right. Now, now, we didn't see this one ourselves, either. We kind of put it together from the evidence. But this guy, he was, uh, he was a research scientist."

Isabeau grimaces, "Animal testing."

"Yeah, you know, a dick. Which fits the pattern." Dean says.

* * *

The Research Scientist leaves a campus building, heading towards the street. He sees something shiny in the gutter and stops.

He looks around cautiously, then gets down on hands and knees to see it better. It is a gold watch. He smiles and gets excited.

He gets all the way down and sticks and arm through the gutter bars, trying to reach it, but he struggles.

Something grabs him from the gutter he begins screaming and struggling as blood spatters on his face.

* * *

"Cops didn't release the cause of death 'cause they had no clue what the cause was." Dean explains.

Isabeau sighs, "So, we checked it ourselves."

* * *

Two flashlights shine through a window. The window latch slides aside as Isabeau moves her hand outside; the latch following her movements and unlocking.

Flashlight in hand, Sam opens and crawls through the window.

"Hey." Dean tosses his flashlight to Sam, and then climbs through. Isabeau follows suit, climbing through and closing the window behind her.

Dean opens a body drawer and shines his light through. He grimaces, "Well, this oughta be quick."

They slide the drawer out and gingerly peel off the bloody blanket, revealing extremely mangled remains. Sam and Dean groan in disgust and as usual, Isabeau is unfazed by the remains.

Dean looks away briefly, "OK, that is just nasty."

Sam holds his hand to his mouth and nose, and speaks muffled while trying not to breathe through his nose, "Uh, yeah."

Isabeau chuckles, "Wimps. Hey, at least you've never had to see a human body inside out. That's disgusting."

Isabeau ignores the horrified stares from her boyfriends as she lends closer to the remains, "Mutilated?"

Sam takes a deep breath, removing his hand from his mouth, "Looks to me like something was hungry."

"They identify him yet?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, uh, a research scientist at the college. Guess where his office was, by the way. Crawford Hall, same as the professor." Sam informs.

"That's right where the frat boy had his close encounter." Dean recalls.

Isabeau nods, narrowing her eyes, "Yeah. Hey, grab me that thing, would you?"

Dean slides a magnifying light over to Isabeau, who peers through it at the corpse, "Thanks."

"What is it?" Dean asks.

Sam leans over to take a look as well, "Looks like a... a belly scale?"

Dean blinks in shock, "A belly scale? From what?"

Isabeau bites her lip, looking over to see a pair of tweezers off to the side, "Dearie, hand me those?"

Dean hands her the tweezers and she pulls out the belly scale from the remains. She brings it closer underneath the magnifying light. She scoffs, "An alligator."

"An alligator in the sewer. Come on." Dean says.

Isabeau looks over, placing the scale in her hand, "Dean, I know my reptiles. Hell, I've even talked to a few alligators."

Sam looks over as well, "Well, Dean, it's a classic urban legend. A kid flushes a baby gator down the toilet, and it grows huge in the tunnels."

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, but no one's ever really found one. I mean, th-they're not real."

"Well, neither's alien abduction, but something chomped on this guy." Sam says.

"This couldn't get any weirder."

Isabeau tosses the tweezers back on the table, "Maybe we should get some help. I'll call Gramps. Maybe he's run into something like this before." Isabeau herself has run into some ass-backwards shit during college, but nothing on this sort of level.

"Oh, I'm sure he has. Just your typical haunted campus, alien abduction, alligator-in-the-sewer gig. Yeah, it's simple." Dean nods.

* * *

"We decided to search the sewer anyway, so we split up, each taking one end of campus. Isabeau with me and Dean on his own." Sam explains.

"D'you find anything?" Bobby asks.

Dean looks up from his beer that he took back, "Yeah, I found something, just not in the sewer."

* * *

Dean emerges from the sewer and enters the alley where the impala is parked. All four tires are flat.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean growls out. He circles the car and finds a money clip on the ground, engraved with 'S.W.'

"Sam!" Dean shouts, pissed off.

* * *

Sam is reading a book as Dean enters. Isabeau is on the couch, laying down on it, flipping through her own book and making little notes as she flips the pages.

"You think this is funny?" Dean asks Sam, walking to him.

Sam looks up, "It depends. What?"

Dean mocks him then shouts, "The car!"

Isabeau looks up, confused.

"What about the car?" Sam asks.

"You can't let the air out of the tires, you idiot. You're gonna bend the rims!" Dean shouts.

Sam closes his book, sitting up fully in his chair, "Whoa, wait a minute. I didn't go near your car."

"Oh, yeah? Huh. Then how'd I find this?" Dean holds up the money clip.

Sam pats his pocket and stands, "Hey. Give me back my money!"

Dean chuckles, "Oh, no, no. Consider it reparations. For, uh, emotional trauma." Dean walks over to his bed, taking off his jacket.

Isabeau sits up from the couch, setting her book aside, another headache from the two of them already starting.

Sam follows Dean, "Yeah, very funny. Now, give it back." He reaches for it.

Dean pulls it away, "No."

"Dean, I have had it up to here with you." Sam says, gesturing with his hand.

Dean nods, shouting, "Yeah? Right back at you!"

Sam reaches for the money again and Dean avoids him. Sam grabs at him again and tackles him to the bed. They scuffle and fight like kids.

"Come on! Get off me!" Dean shouts.

"Give it back!" Sam shouts with him.

Isabeau's jaw ticks, her eyes glowing violet, "Alright…" She stands up from the couch, marching over to Sam and Dean, "Enough!" Her voice echoes throughout the room and Sam and Dean are pulled apart from each other by an invisible force and are left floating in mid-air, a distance away from each other.

Sam and Dean stare down in shock, their feet dangling above the floor. Both look over at Isabeau who is crossing her arms at the two of them, pissed off with their antics and eyes still glowing. It's been awhile since she used telekinesis without moving her hands, but she was getting used to moving things just with her mind.

"Could you two stop acting like children for two seconds? You're giving me a headache." Isabeau asks, raising a brow at them.

They swallow thickly and nod. "Sorry, Beau." Sam apologizes.

"Sorry, sweetheart." Dean glances down at the ground, "Think you can put us down?"

Isabeau smirks as a chair slides up behind her and she gracefully takes a seat in it, crossing her legs, "Nah, I think you two deserve at least ten minutes of this."

Sam's eyes widen and Dean stutters, "Isabeau!"

"Wanna make it fifteen?"

* * *

Bobby scoffs, "Good job, Izzy." He complements Isabeau with a smile.

Isabeau smiles back, "You showed up about an hour after that."

Bobby looks back and forth between Sam and Dean, "I'm surprised at you two. I really am. Sam, first off, Dean did not steal your computer."

Sam licks his lips, "But I-"

Bobby holds his hand out, "Shh, shh, shh, shh! And, Dean, Sam did not touch your car."

Sam looks at Dean with a chuckle, "Yeah!"

"And if you two bothered to pull your heads outta your asses and didn't give Isabeau such a hard time, it all would have been pretty clear." Bobby says.

"What?" Dean asks.

"What you're dealing with."

Sam frowns, not knowing what to say, "Uh…"

"I got nothing." Dean states.

"Me neither." Sam admits.

Isabeau shrugs, leaning forward, "No idea, Gramps."

"You got a trickster on your hands." Bobby says and the moment he does, Isabeau's head thumps onto the table and she mutters out a string of curse words; upset that she didn't realize it sooner.

Dean snaps, "That's what I thought."

"What?! No, you didn't." Sam says.

"I got to tell you... you guys were the biggest clue." Bobby says.

Isabeau looks up as Sam shakes his head, "What do you mean?"

"These things create chaos and mischief as easy as breathing, and it's got you so turned around and at each other's throats, you can't even think straight." Bobby explains.

Isabeau licks her lips, "The laptop and the tires."

"Why weren't we snapping at Isabeau? Shouldn't something be happening with her too?" Sam asks and gently rubs circles on her back.

Bobby chuckles, "Izzy was too busy making sure you two didn't kill each other to even focus on what you were dealing with. The trickster knows you're onto him, and it's playing you like fiddles. And what better way to keep Izzy distracted than with making sure her boyfriends aren't at each other's throats."

Dean takes Isabeau's hand that was resting on the table, giving it an apologetic squeeze, "So, what is it, what, what, spirit, demon, what?" He asks Bobby.

"Well, more like demigods, really." Isabeau speaks up, "There's Loki in Scandinavia. There's Anansi in West Africa. Dozens of them. They're immortal, and they can create things out of thin air. Things as real as you and me. Make them vanish just as quick." She informs them and Bobby smiles proudly at her.

"You mean like an angry spirit or an alien or an alligator."

Bobby nods, "The victims fit the M.O., too. Tricksters target the high and the mighty, knock them down a peg, usually with a sense of humor. Deadly pranks, things like that."

"Bobby, what do these things look like?" Dean asks.

Bobby shrugs, "Lots of things, but human, mostly."

Dean realizes and turns to Isabeau and Sam, "And what human do we know who's been at ground zero this whole time?"

Sam frowns, thinking, then gets it. Isabeau purses her lips, knowing exactly who it was as well. Too bad, she liked the janitor.

* * *

The janitor is flipping through a copy of Weekly World News inside his house, "Oh, that's a good one." He says as he reads the headlines.

The janitor, now known as the Trickster, is in a tacky swinger's pad, sitting in a velvet armchair, surrounded by wildly patterned walls, huge mirrors.

He's wearing a white tank top and red satin boxers. He whistles to a small, energetic dog, who comes bounding towards him, "Come here." He picks up the dog, "Could you eat? I could eat. Come on."

He gets up and circles to the kitchen, holding a champagne flute. The kitchen table is covered in lavish sweets.

"Something's missing." He says and two scantily clad women appear behind him; one blonde, one brunette. He takes whipped cream on one finger and holds it out and the brunette on his left licks it off, "That's better."

"Mmm!" The brunette throaty chuckles.

The Trickster smiles and pauses for a moment when his gaze lands on a single white lily laying out on the side table next to the velvet armchair. It was glowing the tiniest bit as he stared at it.

The memories that were tied to it made him smile softly.

* * *

The Trickster locks a gate with a key attached to his belt. Sam, Isabeau and Dean follow him up a staircase.

"Sorry I'm dragging a little ass today, guys. Had quite the night last night." He turns to look at them, "Lots of sex, if you catch my drift."

Isabeau snorts, "Yeah, hard not to. Listen, we won't be long." She signals to Sam and Dean behind Trickster's back, "We just need to check a couple offices up on three."

The trickster nods, "No problem."

"Oh, damn. We, uh, forgot something in the truck. You know what? We'll catch up with you guys." Sam says as Dean agrees.

Isabeau nods, "Okay."

Isabeau and the Trickster turn and begin ascending the stairs again.

Sam and Dean wait until they're out of sight, then hurries back to the locked gate and Sam pulls out his lockpicking tools.

The two enter, and rummages through lockers until they find a copy of the Weekly World News, with the headline 'Aliens Abduct Cheerleaders', in one of the lockers.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean exit Crawford Hall. "Just 'cause he reads the Weekly World News doesn't mean he's our guy. I mean, you read it, too." Sam says as they descend the stairs.

"I'm telling you, it's him." Dean jabs.

"Look, I just think we need some hard proof. That's all." Sam says.

Isabeau huffs, getting in between the two of them, "Okay, another thing Gramps mentioned was that these suckers have a metabolism like an insect, a real sweet tooth."

"Well, we didn't find any candy bars or sugar. Not even Equal." Sam explains.

Dean nods, "Eh, that's probably 'cause you missed something."

"You were there too, Dean. I don't miss things." Sam responds.

"Oh, right, 'cause you're Mr. Perfect." Dean brings back what he said at the motel room.

Sam furrows his brow, "What? Are you really still pissed at me 'cause of what the trickster did?"

"You been a tight ass long before that trickster showed up." Dean says.

Sam and Dean stare at each other and from an upper window, the Trickster is watching them.. He tilts his head when he sees Isabeau push them apart slightly.

Isabeau scolds the both of them, "Look, just… I'll stay here and keep an eye on the janitor. You two go to his place to see if you can find any actual evidence before I go barging in and staking the man! I'll wait here until you guys get back, okay? Okay?"

Dean and Sam glare at each other before nodding to Isabeau, "Okay." The say in unison.

Isabeau sighs and places light kisses on their cheeks, the Trickster narrows his eyes at the action, "Now go. Some brotherly-hunting-bonding will do you guys some good."

Sam and Dean leave and Isabeau paces, swinging around her rosary. The trickster watches, a serious expression on his face.

* * *

Isabeau is still waiting, becoming impatient as she plays with her rosary. She bites her lip, "Ah, screw this."

Isabeau enters the building, poking around cautiously with her flashlight. As she goes up the last staircase she puts the flashlight away and pulls out a large wooden stake.

She hears something behind her and furrows her brow, "Barry White?" She asks herself.

Isabeau tucks the stake into her jacket, and enters the theater. She looks around in confusion at what is displayed before her.

On the stage is a round red bed with a tacky canopy and a slowly rotating disco ball. The two women the Trickster materialized earlier are sprawled on it seductively, both in lingerie.

As Isabeau gets to the stage, they crawl towards her, "We've been waiting for you, Isabeau." The brunette says.

Isabeau chuckles with a smile, not believing what she's seeing, "Y-Y-You guys aren't real."

The brunette smiles seductively at her, "Trust me, sugar, it's gonna feel real."

Isabeau blinks rapidly and laughs nervously.

The blonde leans over, "Come on. Let us give you a massage."

Isabeau purses her lips, "Wha... You know, I'm a – I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Really, I am, but... I-I'm gonna have to pass. Sorry, ladies. I'm kind of taken by two handsome men that I love very much."

"They're a peace offering."

Isabeau turns around to see the Trickster sitting in the audience, "I know what you and your boyfriends do. I've been around a while. Run into your kind before."

Isabeau nods with a smirk, "Well, then you know that I... can't let you just keep hurting people."

The Trickster rolls his eyes, "Come on! Those people got what was coming to them. Hoisted on their own petards. But you, Sam and Dean – I like you. I do. So treat yourself... Long as you want. Just long enough for me to move on to the next town."

Isabeau gives him an apologetic smile, "Yeah, I don't think I can let you do that."

"I don't wanna hurt you." The Trickster says, opening up a candy bar.

"Look, man, I, I got to tell you, I dig your style, all right? I mean," She chuckles, "I do. I mean…" She glances back at the women on stage, "And the slow-dancing alien…" She laughs along with the Trickster

The Trickster calms down and tilts his head at Isabeau with a smile, "You haven't changed, have you… sugarplum?"

Isabeau's smirk falls, "What did you just say?"

The Trickster narrows his eyes, curious, "Sugarplum."

Isabeau blinks rapidly as her head begins to throb a little, "That… that name." She places a hand to her forehead, "Mother fucker." She mutters as her head continues to throb even more.

The Trickster perks up in his seat, "How much do you remember, sugarplum?"

Isabeau winces, "Stop calling me that!" She exclaims.

* * *

" _What have you got there, sugarplum?" A man, the Trickster, asks 7-year-old Isabeau as she sits in his lap._

_She giggles, holding up a single white lily to him, "It's our favorite flower, Uncle! A white lily!"_

_The Trickster laughs, taking the flower, "Are you growing these with your mother?" He asks._

_Isabeau nods, "Yep. I asked Mommy if I could grow them for you. That way, every time you come to visit you can enjoy them with me."_

_The Trickster smiles down at Isabeau, placing a loving kiss on top of her head, "Thank you, sugarplum."_

_Isabeau smiles and points at the flower, "That's the very first white lily that I picked, so you gotta keep it forever!"_

_The Trickster shakes his head at Isabeau, "Flowers don't last forever."_

_Isabeau pouts, "I wish that one did."_

_The Trickster stares at the white lily, "Your wish is my command, sugarplum."_

* * *

The throbbing in Isabeau's head stops and she looks at the Trickster, a single tear falling from her eye. She pushed the memory into the back of her mind, "I don't know who you are, but I can't let you go."

The Trickster looks defeated at her words, "Too bad. Like I said, I like you. You shouldn't've come alone."

Isabeau wipes away her single tear, her smirk returning and eyes glowing violet, "Well, I'll agree with you there."

The door opens and slams shut. The Trickster looks back up the stairs to see Sam and Dean, just entered, with large stakes of their own.

Bobby stands at the top of the next aisle, also with a stake.

The Trickster looks back at Isabeau with a proud smile, "That fight you guys had outside... that was a trick?"

Isabeau smiles with a shrug.

The Trickster hums, "Hm. Not bad." He nods as Isabeau pulls out her wooden stake. "But you want to see a real trick?"

A masked man with a chainsaw appears near Sam and Dean and attacks. Isabeau goes to stab the Trickster, but the brunette attacks Isabeau from behind, throwing her onto the stage with the other woman.

The Trickster watches, entertained, as Bobby, Dean and Sam grapple with Chainsaw Man and Isabeau fights the two women.

"Ah, ha ha." The Trickster laughs, watching the action and chewing a sandwich.

Isabeau's eyes turn into a light violet as she puts her hand out at the brunette and a spark of lightning flies from her hand to the brunette, making her fly backwards.

The Trickster smiles, "Ooh. New element, sugarplum. Your powers are slowly coming back. Can't be locked away forever." He says to himself.

Isabeau takes another hit from the blonde she throws Isabeau into the seats near the Trickster.

The Trickster claps, "Nice toss! Nice show, ladies."

The Trickster stands as Isabeau turns, holding her side in pain. She sees her stake on the ground near Sam and Dean.

"Isabeau... my little sugarplum. All grown up." The Trickster says as Isabeau stands up and Sam tosses the stake to Isabeau.

"I did not want to have to do this." He says.

Isabeau stabs the Trickster in the chest, locking eyes with him, another lone tear falling down her face, "Me neither." She whispers out.

As Isabeau grinds in the stake, Chainsaw Man and the women disappear. Isabeau's lip trembles as the Trickster places a hand on her cheek, "I wasn't going to kill you. I was going to take you away from all this, sugarplum. You're beginning to remember."

Isabeau grits her teeth, "Stop calling me that. I don't remember anything." She lies and pulls the stake out, and the Trickster falls, dead, into a seat.

* * *

Sam, Dean and Bobby approach Isabeau as she wipes away the tear once again and composes herself.

Isabeau looks over, "You guys okay?"

Sam immediately pulls Isabeau in for a hug, "Yeah. I guess."

Isabeau and Sam pull away, only for Dean to pull her into a bone crushing hug as well, "Well, I gotta say... he had style." He comments, stoking the back of Isabeau's head.

Isabeau groans in pain when Dean hugs her a little too tight, and they all stagger outside.

Sam looks back at Bobby as he and Dean hold Isabeau's hands, "Bobby, thanks a lot. We really couldn't've—"

Bobby interrupts him, "Hey, save it! Let's just get the hell out of dodge before somebody finds that body."

"Yeah." Dean agrees.

Sam pauses at the impala as Isabeau and Bobby both slide into the impala; Isabeau in her usual spot in the front and Bobby in the backseat, "Look, Dean, um... I just want to say that I'm, uh... Um…" Sam trails off.

Dean pauses, "Hey. Me too." They look at each other and each nod.

Bobby comes back out of the impala for a moment, "You guys are breaking my heart. Could we please just leave?" He gets back in the impala.

Isabeau laughs loudly at Bobby from inside the car. Her Gramps always cracked her up.

Sam and Dean exchange a look over the top of the car, get in, and drive away.

* * *

Inside the Crawford Hall theater, a figure approaches the Trickster's body and stands by it.

The body shimmers and disappears. The figure is the Trickster, who bites into a chocolate bar and smiles.

He puts away the chocolate bar for a moment and pulls out the same white lily he had in his home; it was growing brighter than before. He frowns but then smiles, "You lied, sugarplum. You're starting to remember."

The Trickster smirks when he hears the flapping of wings behind him, "What took you so long?" He turns around to see someone he hasn't seen in over a decade. It was Isabeau's mother; Yvette.

Yvette crosses her arms at the Trickster, scolding him with just her look.

The Trickster just continues smirking at her, "Hey, big sis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um... I'm gonna go hide since I just dropped a bomb shell. But, uh, yeah. Surprise!
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	33. Can't Sleep

Isabeau slips on a pair of jean shorts, a baggy old t-shirt and one of her plaid flannels. She looks over her shoulder to see both Sam and Dean sleeping peacefully in the threes' shared bead that she had in her old room at Bobby's.

Ever since they dealt with the Trickster, which was a couple of days ago, they decided to stay with Bobby to take a small break from hunting.

She still couldn't believe she didn't see that it was a Trickster beforehand. She was friends with a Trickster, one of her coven members, Belle, was one. Too many times did she fuck around with her and the others, but it was always harmless fun.

Isabeau walks carefully to the door and sneaks out, closing it softly behind her. She sighs and makes her way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She opens the fridge and grabs a cold beer, popping off the cap.

"Did expect to see you up so late."

Isabeau jumps at the sudden voice behind her and turns around to see Bobby at the entrance way, "Holy shit, Gramps. You scared the hell out of me." She sets her beer down at the kitchen table and takes a seat as well.

Bobby raises a brow at her, taking the seat across from her, "What's going on, kiddo?" He asks.

Isabeau shrugs, taking a sip of her beer, "Can't sleep… nothing to worry about."

"You're having a beer at three in the morning, Izzy. Obviously something is going on." Bobby points out, taking Isabeau's beer away from her.

Isabeau stutters from Bobby taking her beer, "Can't I just have a drink when I want to?"

Bobby gives her a look, "Not at three in the morning."

Isabeau huffs and stays silent for a moment. She bites her lip, "That Trickster… he said something to me that made me remember something from when I was a kid."

Bobby stares at her waiting for her to continue.

Isabeau brings her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs as she continues, "He called me 'sugarplum' and… it just stuck a cord with me. I remember sitting in my backyard with him when I was a kid. I grew white lilies because they are my favorite flower… and apparently his as well."

A lone tear falls down Isabeau's face, "I called him my Uncle, Gramps. And it pained me to even look at his face… Deep down, a part of me wanted to sob tears of joy. A part of me was missing him."

Isabeau shakes her head, "But… there's no way, right? That he was actually my Uncle. I mean, mom had brothers, but they all died when mom was a teenager."

Bobby inhales deeply, "The Trickster was probably messing with you. Putting stuff in your head to catch you off guard. It's probably nothing."

Isabeau nods, whipping away the tear, "Yeah… probably nothing. It's just been keeping me up at night, you know? That and everything else."

The two sit in silence, letting the conversation fade away. Bobby huffs, getting up from his seat, "Come on, up."

Isabeau stares at Bobby, confused, "What?" She laughs out as Bobby dumps the rest of her beer down the drain in the kitchen sink and gestures for her to stand up.

"If you can't sleep, might as well help me with research." Bobby says as Isabeau stands up from her seat and follows Bobby into his study.

"Looking up something for another hunter?" Isabeau asks while Bobby hands her a book.

Isabeau looks down at the book in disbelief and then back up at Bobby with a smile, "Mermaids? They're real?" She flips open the book enthusiastically and starts reading the contents. Isabeau was always in love with the idea of mermaids. They were creatures you read about in fairytales, not something that she would ever come across or ever thought they were real.

She knew sirens, which were a more malicious version of mermaids, were real. Her coven member, Alia, is part siren. Hell, Alia and Belle were both dating each other. A siren hybrid and a trickster hybrid… such a weird combination but they were an adorable couple.

Bobby chuckles at her, "Apparently, though they're sort of like you guys. Mermaids don't kill humans, in fact they're fascinated by them. They grow legs in order to blend in with humans to learn more about their society and ways of life. They're curious and altogether harmless to humans."

Isabeau takes a seat at Bobby's desk, "I feel a 'but' coming on." She says, flipping through the book in her hands.

Bobby nods, "But, they're growing extinct. Only a good handful are left and a lot of them are pairing up with hunters in order to stay safe. A friend up in Boston found one and needs more information."

Isabeau nods, "All right. So read up as much as we can and then call when the suns up?"

Bobby chuckles, "That's the plan."

Isabeau shakes her head with a smile, "Mermaids… what's next? Fairies?"

* * *

Isabeau is slumped on the desk, her head resting on her almost completed book as she sleeps. She fell asleep in the middle of researching with Bobby, the days of not sleeping finally catching up to her.

Bobby is standing in the kitchen across from her, watching her to make sure she doesn't wake up while he's on the phone, "What's going on Yvette? Izzy hasn't been sleeping for days because of her memories and she finally let herself go today."

Yvette on the other line sighs, "Bobby, please. Don't worry about it. It's just… it's something that Isabeau isn't ready to know yet. If her memories are coming back then… You know how complicated both mine and Bartholmieu families are. Isabeau cannot know."

Bobby rubs his face in distress, "Yvette… I can't keep lying to her about what she is."

"I know, Bobby. But, if her memories are coming back, then her powers and other memories that I locked away will come back as well. Then we won't have to lie anymore. You know why I did that. I would've lost her all over again when she was a child. I had to do it." Yvette reminds him.

Bobby sighs, "I know."

"Just, don't say anything." Yvette pleads.

Bobby frowns, "Not happy about it, but whatever you say." And with that, Bobby hangs up the phone.

He looks over at Isabeau, who is still sleeping peacefully at the desk, "I'm sorry, Izzy." He says aloud and walks back into the study.

A family of angels and demons; witches and elementals… Isabeau's family was complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. I was packing for college and also packing to move into my new house, plus just dealing with medical stuff all at once. But, I am back and I am currently up at college. I'm in my junior year! I technically have one more year but I'm taking an extra semester because of my double minor along with my major. 
> 
> Also I have a very full schedule this semester; I'm taking six classes, four of which are art classes and two academic. But I'm also making up for last semester so I'm technically taking eight classes at the moment, so they only time I'll be able to update is on the weekends. I'm striving to get one episode (two chapters) out per week, hopefully two episodes (four chapters), if I can do it. 
> 
> So sorry, for only one or two updates a week, I really want to get season 2 done so I can start on season 3. But, here's a little filler chapter, I will hopefully post "Roadkill" and possibly "Heart" this weekend. 
> 
> Feedback is my motivation. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	34. Roadkill Pt.1

A woman, Molly, runs through the woods away from the cabin. She staggers onto the road, where a car is approaching.

"Stop!" She screams out and stands in the middle of the road, hands out.

"Holy-!" Dean exclaims, slamming on the brakes and stops the impala just in front of her. Isabeau grabs onto both Sam and Dean's arms, hands clenching tightly to the material of their jackets.

"You've got to help me." Molly goes to the passenger's side and pounds on the window, which Sam rolls down. "Please. Please!" Molly begs.

"All right, all right. Calm down, calm down. Tell us what happened." Sam says calmly.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean have parked the impala by the road and all four are standing around it.

"I-I swerved, a-And we crashed. And when I came to, the car was wrecked and my husband was missing. I went looking for him, but that's when the man from the road, he... he started chasing me." Molly explains what happened to her, stuttering as she speaks.

"Did he look like he lost a fight with a lawn mower?" Dean asks her. Sam gives him a look.

"How did you know that?" Molly asks.

Dean shrugs, "Lucky guess."

"Ma'am, what's your name?" Sam asks.

"Molly. Molly McNamara." Molly answers.

Sam and Isabeau exchange a look with Dean. Isabeau clears her throat, "I think maybe you should come with us. We'll take you back into town."

Molly shakes her head, "I can't. I have to find David. He might have gone back to the car."

Isabeau smiles politely at Molly, "We should get you somewhere safe first. Then Dean, Sam and I will come back. We'll look for your husband."

Molly shakes her head again, more desperately this time, "No. I'm not leaving here without him. Would you just take me back to my car, please?"

Isabeau sighs, shoving her hands into her pockets as Sam and Dean share another look, "Of course. Come on." Sam says. All four get into the car; Molly in the backseat and the couple in their own usual seats.

* * *

The impala parks by the woods near the crash site. They get out and Molly leads them into the woods, "It's right over there."

They come upon the crash site, both Sam and Dean shining their flashlights, but the car is gone. Molly looks at the site in confusion, "I don't understand. I'm sure this is where it was. W-We hit that tree right there. This... this doesn't make any sense." She goes to investigate, out of earshot

When she's out of earshot, Sam turns to Dean, "Dean, we got to get out of here. Greeley could show up at any second."

Isabeau nods in agreement, looking at the woods all around her. Nature was talking to her, greeting her and also telling her to be cautious.

"What are you gonna tell her?" Dean asks.

Isabeau snorts, looking at her boyfriends, "The truth?"

Dean pauses, "She's gonna take off running in the other direction." In response, Isabeau just shrugs.

Molly looks up at the three of them, pointing to a tree nearby, "I know it sounds crazy, but I crashed into that tree. I don't know who could've taken it. It was totaled. Please. You have to believe me." She begs.

"Molly, listen, we do believe you. But that's why we want to get you out of here." Isabeau calls out to her.

"What about David?" Molly asks, "Something must have happened. I have to get to the cops."

Dean points at her, "Cops... that's a great idea. We'll take you down to the station ourselves. So just come with us. It's the best way we can help you and your husband."

Sam and Isabeau nod in agreement.

Molly looks back at the tree for a quick second, "Okay." She nods and comes back up.

* * *

They drive down the road with Molly in the backseat. "We're supposed to be in lake Tahoe."

Sam was holding hands Isabeau, "You and David?" He asks Molly, glancing over.

Molly smiles faintly, "It's our five-year anniversary."

Isabeau blinks, "Hell of an anniversary." She then thought about it for a second. In another month or so, it will be a year since Isabeau started dating Sam and Dean. Technically their anniversary is coming up, though she doubts they would do anything to celebrate it.

Molly huffs out a small chuckle, "Right before, we were having the dumbest fight." She sighs, "It was the only time we ever really argued… when we were stuck in the car."

Sam laughs, "Yeah. I know how that goes."

Dean scowls at him and Isabeau snorts, pressing her free hand to her mouth to prevent herself from laughing.

"You know the last thing I said to him? I called him a jerk. Oh, god. What if that's the last thing I said to him?" Molly asks, distraught.

Isabeau closes her eyes briefly and let's go of Sam's hand. She turns to face her, "Molly… We're gonna figure out what happened to your husband. I promise."

Suddenly, the radio starts making odd noises, then plays 'House of the Rising Sun'. Isabeau turns back around as Dean frowns at it, "Did you- ?" He asks Sam, thinking it was hopefully another one of his pranks.

Sam stares down at the radio confused, "No."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Dean grumbles.

Molly leans forward, "This song…"

Dean glances over, "What?"

"It was playing when we crashed." Molly answers.

Isabeau presses her lips into a thin line, "Great." She whispers sarcastically while Sama and Dean look at each other fearfully.

The radio crackles again, and settles on another station. A creepy voice, Greeley's, can be heard, "She's mine. She's mine. She's mine."

"What is that?" Molly asks, frightened.

Greeley appears in the middle of the road. Dean floors it straight at him, "Hold on." Sam automatically pulls Isabeau into his arms, holding onto to her as they all stare at Greeley.

"What are you doing?!" Molly screeches.

Dean drives straight into Greeley, who vanishes in a puff of smoke. Isabeau pulls away from Sam's grip and looks over to the back window, Greeley is no longer there.

Molly gasps, "What the... What the hell just happened?"

"Don't worry, Molly. Everything's gonna be alright." Isabeau reassures her, fiddling with her rosary.

The impala begins to shudder. "I think you spoke a little too soon, Sweetheart." The impala coasts to a stop on the side of the road. Dean tries to start it again but the ignition sputters, "I don't think he's gonna let her leave."

* * *

All four exit the impala. "This can't be happening." Molly exclaims as they walk to the impala's trunk.

"Well... Trust me. It's happening." Dean says and he opens the trunk and starts pulling out weaponry.

Molly comes around and sees the arsenal, backs away slowly, "Well... Okay. Thanks for helping, but I think I got it covered from here."

Sam goes after her, "Wait. Molly, Molly, wait a minute."

Molly shakes her head, frightened, "Just leave me alone."

"No, no, no. Please. You have to listen to me." Sam begs.

"Just stay away." Molly repeats as she turns and starts to leave.

"It wasn't a coincidence that we found you, all right?" Sam admits as Dean and Isabeau walk up to him.

Molly stops and turns back, "What are you talking about?"

"We weren't just cruising for chicks when we ran into you, sister. We were already out here. Hunting." Dean says, earning a jab in the arm from Isabeau about the 'cruising for chicks' comment. Dean sends her an apologetic look.

Isabeau just shakes her head; she'll kick his ass later.

"Hunting for what?" Molly asks him.

Sam and Dean inhale, trying to come up from an answer while Isabeau shoves her hands into her jacket pockets, "Ghosts." She says.

"D... d... don't... Sugarcoat it for her." Sam says, exasperated. He stares at his girlfriend and she shrugs in response. Dean just shakes his head and makes his way down to the impala's trunk.

"You're nuts." Molly looks at them like they're crazy.

Dean turns back around to face Molly, "Really? About as nuts as a vanishing guy with his guts spilling out. You know what you saw." He goes back to refiling through the trunk.

"We think his name is Jonah Greeley. He was a local farmer that died 15 years ago on this highway." Sam explains, him and Isabeau walking up to her.

Molly shakes her head, "Just... stop."

Isabeau continues, "One night a year, on the anniversary of his death, he haunts this road. That's why we're here, Molly. To try and stop him."

"Now, I suppose this... ghost made my car disappear, too." Molly asks, not believing them.

Dean walks up to them, "Crazier things have happened, huh?" He pats Sam on the back.

Molly chuckles bitterly, "You know what? I'm all filled up on crazy. I'm gonna get the cops myself." She starts to walk again, but Isabeau stops her.

"I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't think you're gonna get too far." Isabeau calls out to her.

Molly turns back, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Means that plan A was trying to get you out of here. Obviously that didn't go over too well with, uh, Farmer Roadkill." Dean explains.

Sam steps up to her, "Molly, we're telling the truth. Greeley's not gonna let you leave this highway."

"You're s... you're serious about this, aren't you?" Molly asks, her voice small.

"Deadly." Dean answers.

Isabeau shifts in her spot, "Every year, Greeley finds someone to punish for what happened to him. Tonight that person is you."

"Why me? I didn't do anything." Molly asks, tears coming to her eyes.

Isabeau frowns a little, "Doesn't matter. Some spirits only see what they want."

"So you're saying this... Greeley, he took my husband? Oh, god."

Sam places a hand on Isabeau's shoulder, "Molly, look, we're gonna help, all right? But first, you gotta help us." Sam says.

Molly sniffles, "Help you? How?"

* * *

Molly led them back to the cabin where she saw Greeley, "This is it. This is where I saw him."

Isabeau leads the way with a flashlight in one hand while Dean holds onto the other, carrying a rifle as well and carrying a bag over his shoulder, "Must have been his hunting cabin." Dean guesses.

Isabeau flashes her light around and sees vicious tools hanging, a bloodstained table, "Huh. Seemed like a real sweet guy." She comments, continuing to look around.

Sam comes inside the cabin with his own flashlight, "No markers or headstones outside."

"You're looking for Greeley's grave?" Molly asks, standing by the door.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Dean looks over, still keeping a grip on Isabeau, "So we can dig up the corpse and salt and burn it."

"Oh." Molly nods, "Sure, naturally."

"It's a way to get rid of a spirit." Sam informs her.

"And that'll save David?" Molly asks.

"Well, this is what'll help both of you, provided there's a corpse to be found." Sam answers.

"So how do we find it?"

Isabeau turns to them, letting go of Dean's hand so he can explore, "Uh, not sure. After Greeley died, his wife claimed the body. And that was the last anyone saw of her. So good guess she brought him back here. But they had a thousand acres. He could be buried anywhere on 'em."

She shares a look with Sam, "I couldn't go out and you know, see if I can _find_ anything that you maybe missed?" She asks Sam. She could ask nature and ask where he was buried. That was the original plan anyway.

Just as Sam was about to answer, Molly asks them a question, "So this is really what you guys do? You're like Ghostbusters?"

"Yeah, minus the jumpsuits." Dean says, grabbing Isabeau's hand again, "Look, ladies. This is a fascinating conversation and all, but this highway is only haunted once a year, and we got till sun-up to wrap this thing up. What do you say we move it along, okay? Great." He says briskly, dragging Isabeau along with him.

They go outside and continue their search. Isabeau couldn't touch any trees or nature of any kind to ask her question on where Greeley was buried, since both of her hands were full. She didn't have to technically touch nature to listen to it, but it was more effective and clear when she did.

Dean and Isabeau head toward the back of the cabin as Sam and Molly continue on their own.

"What are we looking for?" Molly asks Sam.

"Greeley's house. Maybe he's buried there. Look for roads or paths or something. Stay close." Sam warns her.

"Yeah. Okay." Molly reluctantly agrees.

She stops, hearing a soft voice. Sam doesn't notice and keeps on walking.

"Molly? Molly, help me. Molly?" The voice says to Molly.

"David?" Molly asks, walking away from Sam completely, no longer near him. She goes in search of the voice. "David? David!"

Greeley appears and grabs her, making her scream. Molly is able to free herself form his grasp, falling to the woodland floor. As Greeley turns, Dean has his shotgun pointed directly at his face, "Whoops." Dean says and shoots Greeley in the head, causing him to dissipate.

Isabeau helps Molly up from the ground as Sam runs to them, "Hey! Are you all right?" He asks all of them.

"What has that son of a bitch done with my husband?" Molly shouts angrily.

Sam puts his hand out, "Just take it easy, all right? You're gonna see David again. You will."

"Hey!" Dean indicates the road ahead of them, "Follow the creepy brick road."

Isabeau huffs, "Yeah, and the Emerald City ain't waiting for us at the end of that road." She brushes past all of them, taking the lead and Dean follows close behind her.

Sam gestures to Molly to follow Isabeau and Dean, "Go ahead." Sam takes up the rear.

Molly points to Dean's shotgun, "That thing shoots rock salt?"

"Yep." Sam confirms.

"And plain salt keeps away spirits?" Molly asks.

Sam nods, "Simple remedies are always the best. In most cultures, salt's a symbol of purity, so it repels impure and unnatural things. Same reason you throw it over your shoulder. It's also used in a lot of wiccan rituals and spells."

Sam has had a hand in helping Isabeau out with her rituals many more times than Dean has. Sam was curious and wanted to understand Isabeau's craft better, so she taught him basically everything she knows.

Molly notices the machete strapped to Isabeau's thigh, "And what Isabeau has? How does that help?"

"Isabeau likes using a different method of dealing with spirits. Iron repels them as well so she has a machete made out of iron for dealing with them." Sam explains. Isabeau's main weapon besides her gun, was her duel machetes or a machete of any kind that helped with their hunt.

They round the corner and see a creepy house. "You know, just once I'd like to round the corner and see a nice house." Dean comments.

Sam, Isabeau and Molly enter the house while Dean stays outside to look around. The entire house was dusty and had an unpleasant odor to it. Isabeau turns when Dean enters the house.

Sam looks over as well and chuckles, "Any headstones outside?"

Dean places his bag on the old couch, "Yeah, right. Is it ever that easy?"

Sam sighs, "I guess not."

Isabeau nods, walking into the kitchen with the other behind her. She comes across a staircase and gestures to Sam and Molly, "You two check upstairs. See if you can find any notes or records telling us where he's buried. We'll just check down here."

Sam nods at her, "Right." He places a quick kiss on her temple before he and Molly go upstairs.

Sam opens a door, shotgun ready, but the room is strewn with papers, "Great." He sighs, crouching down and starts going through the papers.

Molly finds an old scrapbook by the window and opens it, "Look at this." She takes the scrapbook to the bed and sits down. Sam joins her. "It's Greeley and his wife." Molly says.

Sam takes the scrapbook from her and turns a few pages, landing on a handwritten sheet of paper.

Molly realizes what it is, "It's a love letter he wrote her. My god, it's beautiful. I don't understand how a guy like this can turn into that monster."

"Um…" Sam stutters, "Spirits like Greeley are, uh... like wounded animals. Lost. In so much pain that ... they lash out."

"Why? Why are they here?" Molly asks.

Sam huffs, "Well, there's some part of them that... that's keeping them here. Like their remains or, um... unfinished business."

"Unfinished business?"

Sam nods, "Yeah... Uh, it could be revenge. Could be love. Or hate. Whatever it is, they just hold on too tight. Can't let go. So they're trapped. Caught in the same loops. Replaying the same tragedies over and over."

Molly stares at him, "You sound almost sorry for them."

"Well, they weren't evil people, you know? A lot of them were good. Just... Something happened to them. Something they couldn't control." Sam explains.

"Sammy's always getting a little J. Love Hewitt when it comes to things like this. Me, I don't like 'em. And I sure as hell ain't making apologies for 'em." Dean says from the doorway, Sam and Molly looking over at him.

Isabeau walks into the room, giving Dean a warning look before looking at Sam and Molly, "There's nothing downstairs. You find anything?" She walks deeper into the room with Dean behind her, shining his flashlight around.

"Uh, just about every piece of mail or receipt they ever had. Looked through a couple, but nothing about a grave so far." Sam informs them.

Isabeau investigates a wall, tilting her head at it.

Sam notices, "What?"

Isabeau narrows her eyes, "There's something behind here." Dean moves closer and Sam gets up from his spot, walking over.

She moves a cabinet aside, revealing a small hidden door. She pokes at it, getting a sick feeling in her stomach, "It's locked from the inside." She grunts out, trying to stop herself from getting sick.

Dean places a hand on her shoulder, "You good?" He whispers.

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, just. Can you do it? I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

Dean nods, moving her to Sam's side and turns his back to the small door. He throws a back kick at the door, which does nothing. He looks at it, surprised, then braces himself and kicks harder. The door falls inward.

Isabeau hands Dean his shotgun and all of them crawl through behind him. Once in the room they brush away cobwebs to stand up.

Dean grimaces as he looks around, "It smells like old lady in here." He looks around to find a corpse hanging by the neck from the ceiling, "And that would explain why. Well, now we know why nobody ever saw her again."

Isabeau stares sadly at the corpse, "She didn't want to live without him."

"Dean, give me a hand." Sam picks up a chair as if to take down the corpse.

Dean gives him a questioning look, "Really?"

Molly looks back and forth between the brothers, "What are you gonna do?"

"We can't leave her like this." Sam says.

"Why not?" Dean asks.

Isabeau stares forward, deadpan and wacks Dean in the back of head, "She deserves to be put to rest, Dean."

Dean looks at Isabeau with a pout. She stares at him, daring him to argue with her. He looks away, still pouting a little, but reluctantly agrees.

Sam stands on the chair and begins to cut through the rope as Dean steadies the corpse, "Son of a…" Dean trails off, grimacing at the smell, or the horribleness of holding a corpse. Probably both.


	35. Roadkill Pt.2

Outside the house, Sam and Dean dig a grave for Mrs. Greeley. Isabeau puts out her hand for Dean to take, helping him out of the grave.

"So... So, if you manage to put Greeley to rest, too... What happens to them?" Molly asks from the porch of the house.

Sam begins placing the dirt in the grave, burying Mrs. Greeley. Dean glances at Isabeau before answering Molly, "Lady, that answer is way beyond our pay grade."

"You hunt these things, but you don't know what happens to them?" Molly asks, walking to them.

"Well, they never come back. That's all that matters." Dean answers.

Isabeau sees that Dean's answer did not satisfy her, "After they let go of whatever's keeping them here, they... they just go. Hopefully, someplace better. No one knows." She might've died and went to heaven, but she wasn't a spirit, so she had no clue if they did end up going to heaven or hell.

"What happens when you burn their bones?" Molly asks.

Sam and Dean continue burying the body as Isabeau answers, "Umm... Well, my dad said that was like death for ghosts, you know? But... The truth is, we still don't know. Not for sure."

She looks over at Sam and Dean, "Guess that's why we all hold on to life so hard. Even the dead. We're all just scared of the unknown."

Molly crouches down besides the grave, "The only thing I'm scared of is losing David. I have to see him again." She pauses, "I have to."

* * *

Inside the house, Molly is pacing in one room, looking through the photo album while Sam, Isabeau and Dean are waiting in another room nearby. Sam sighs, "I think we should tell her about her husband."

"We can't." Dean says from his seat.

Isabeau has her arms crossed, leaning against the wall, next to one of the windows, "Dean, it's cruel, letting her pine for him like this. I don't like keeping her in the dark."

"It's for her own good." Dean gets up, facing both of them, "Look, I know you feel guilty, all right? But let's just stick to the plan. Let's get her out of here. Then we'll tell her."

Molly approaches them, "Tell me what?" Isabeau pushes off from the wall, all three of them looking at Molly.

"What aren't you telling me?" Molly asks, "It's about David. You know what happened to him."

Sam licks his lips, "Molly-"

"Sam, don't." Dean stops him. Isabeau exhales deeply, not happy about any of this. Sam glares at his brother.

"Don't what? Don't tell me because I'll mess up your hunt?" Molly asks angrily, walking up to them, "You don't care about me or my husband."

Isabeau unfolds her arms and shakes her head, "That's not true."

"Really? Then whatever it is, tell me, please." Molly begs.

Isabeau swallows, wanting to say something.

They hear a radio turn on, static, then the song 'House of the Rising Sun' begin to play. They all look toward the kitchen where the song is coming from.

"He's coming." Molly says.

"Stay with her. Beau, come with me." Dean orders.

Dean and Isabeau go cautiously towards the sound. They uncover the dusty radio that has powered itself on. Isabeau crouches down and finds a broken, frayed power cord.

Dean hears another noise, patting Isabeau's arm and both go toward the front door. It frosts over and the words 'SHE'S MINE' appear in the frost. Isabeau breathed out and she could see her breath in the air.

In the other room, Molly is standing by the window. Sam steps cautiously forward towards the next room when suddenly a figure crashes through the window behind Molly and grabs her. She screams as she is dragged outside.

"Dean! Beau! He's got Molly!" Sam shouts. Isabeau and Dean come running back.

They all leap through the window and chase them through the woods. They lose sight of them, and return to the house.

"This guy is persistent." Dean says.

"We gotta find Molly." Sam states, stopping when he notices the scrapbook on the table that Molly was going through.

"We gotta find Greeley's bones." Isabeau reminds them, "And, uh, no pressure or anything, but we got less than two hours before sunrise."

Sam looks through the photo album, "Hey."

Dean comes back over, him and Isabeau now looking at it, "What do you got?" He asks.

Sam reads the caption on a photograph, "'February 6, 1992.'"

"That was like two weeks before the accident, wasn't it?" Dean asks.

Sam nods, "Yeah. I mean, it looks like the hunting cabin, but... I swear there's a tree there right where they're standing." They all look up. "I should've thought of it." Sam scolds himself, exhaling sharply.

"What?"

"It's an old country custom, Dean. Planting a tree as a grave marker." Sam explains.

Dean stares at him, "You're like a walking encyclopedia of weirdness."

"Yeah. I know." Sam says somewhat bitterly.

Isabeau pouts, "Oh, don't listen to your brother. I like your weirdness." Isabeau comments, heading out ahead of them.

Sam's bitter expression falls into a smirk, sending Dean a knowing glance and following Isabeau.

Dean just shakes his head, following his brother and girlfriend.

* * *

In the hunting cabin, Molly is hanging from the ceiling by her wrists, "Where's David? What did you do to him?"

"You shouldn't worry about him anymore." Greeley growls out.

Tears pool in Molly's eyes, thinking the worst, "Oh, my god."

Greeley smirks, "You should worry about yourself."

Molly shakes her head, "I didn't do anything to you."

"Oh?" Greeley steps up to her, pointing a finger at her.

Molly groans as he runs a filthy hand over her face, "I know... I know about your wife. Hurting me won't bring her back."

"My wife is gone. All I got left's... hurting you." Greeley says as he slides a finger across her collarbone, slicing the flesh.

Molly screams, "P-Please. Just let me go."

"Go? You're not gonna leave. You're never... gonna leave." Greeley drags a finger across her belly, gouging deep. Molly screams in pain.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean approach the cabin from the outside, both brothers carrying shovels.

Isabeau unsheathes her iron machete, "I'm gonna go get Molly." As Isabeau heads inside, Sam and Dean begin to dig around the tree.

Inside, Greeley is approaching Molly menacingly when a machete slices through his head, causing him to dissipate and revealing Isabeau behind him.

Molly gasps, "Oh, thank god."

Isabeau grins, "Yeah, call me Isabeau."

Greeley appears behind Isabeau, who turns to face him. Greeley gestures with his finger and Isabeau cries out, a cut appearing on her cheek. She grits her teeth, her eyes glowing a fiery blue, "This guy's really pissing me off."

Greeley gestures again and Isabeau stands her ground, jerking back a step, but is able to push through Greeley's gesture. She chuckles, "Nice try, asshat."

Greeley growls, waving his finger again, pushing Isabeau back a few more steps, but isn't able to make her go flying.

Outside, Sam and Dean dig feverishly. They hit something hard and look down; it's bones. From inside, Isabeau yells, "Hurry up, Sam! Dean!"

Inside, Isabeau pushes forward, lifting her leg to send a swift kick across Greeley's face. He stumbles backwards, glaring at her.

Greeley reaches out, and a knife flies into his hand. He approaches Isabeau with the knife, catching her arm as she tries to swing her machete at him again. Isabeau catches Greeley's hand that was holding the knife, both of them struggling against each other's strength.

Outside, Sam empties a box of salt into the open grave as Dean empties a container of gasoline into the grave. Dean lights a match and drops it in.

Greeley freezes and rears back in pain, screaming, "No, no."

The corpse in the grave catches fire and burns.

Greeley bursts into flame, is consumed, and disappears. The knife falls to the floor with a thud, the blade lodged into the wood.

Isabeau walks over to Molly, swinging her machete, cutting Molly down. Molly stares at Isabeau, flabbergasted by what she just witnessed, "Thank-" She stops short, seeing Isabeau's fiery blue eyes.

"You're eyes." Molly whispers out.

"Oh!" Isabeau blinks, her eyes no longer glowing, "Yeah, um. I'll explain that later." She sheaths her machete giving Molly a sheepish smile.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau, Sam, and Molly approach the impala. Dean pats it lovingly, "Oh, baby, it's been a long night."

Dean drops his bag in the back, then hooks an arm around Isabeau's waist, placing a loving kiss on her lips. He pulls away and opens the driver side door for her. Isabeau smiles, sliding into the impala, sitting in the middle of the front seat. Dean then climbs into the driver's seat, closing the door.

Sam opens the back door for Molly, "All right. Let's get you out of here."

Molly shakes her head, "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what happened to my husband."

"Molly…"

"All this time... I've been looking for him, and you knew that... You knew that Greeley killed him, didn't you? He's dead." Molly assumes.

"No, Molly. David's alive." Sam tells her.

"What?" Molly asks, "You're sure?"

Sam forces a smile and nods, "I'm sure. We'll take you to him. Come on."

Molly smiles in relief and she gets in the car.

* * *

They pull up in front of a nice suburban home with the lights on inside. "He's in that house, right there." Sam tells her.

Molly shakes her head, confused, "I don't understand."

Isabeau stares at the house, "You will."

They get out of the impala, Sam, Isabeau and Dean staying behind as Molly approaches the window. Inside is David, though he is older, wearing a bathrobe, and pouring a cup of coffee.

"That's... not... It can't be." Molly whispers out. Sam, Isabeau and Dean are watching Molly and they all look at each other.

David looks up and a woman in a bathrobe comes up to him, kissing him on the lips. "What's happening?" Molly asks, turning back to the three of them, "Who is that?"

"That's David's wife." Sam states and Molly turns around to look at the house again, then back to Sam and Dean. "I'm sorry, Molly. 15 years ago, you and your husband hit Jonah Greeley with your car. David survived." Sam explains.

"What are you saying?" Molly asks.

"We're saying there isn't just one spirit haunting Highway 41. There are two. Jonah Greeley and you." Dean answers.

Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, "For the past 15 years, one night a year you've been appearing on that highway."

Molly shakes her head in denial, "No, that's not possible. It was our anniversary... February 22nd-"

"1992." Isabeau finishes.

"Yes."

"Molly, it's 2007." Dean admits.

"Oh, god." Molly gasps.

* * *

_**The previous night.** _

Isabeau lays her head against Dean's shoulder, his free hand holding hers, "All right. Tell me about Highway 41." He asks Sam.

"12 accidents over 15 years. Five of them fatal, all of them happening on the same night." Sam answers.

Isabeau hums, "So what are we looking at... Interstate dead zone? Phantom hitchhiker? What?"

"Not quite. Year after year, witnesses said the same thing made them crash. A woman appearing in the middle of the road, being chased by a man covered in blood." Sam informs them.

Dean looks over, "Two spooks?"

Sam shrugs with a frown.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dean find old newspaper articles referring to Molly and Jonah's deaths in the local library. The three shared a look; they were dealing with two spirits.

* * *

The three are sitting inside David's house, questioning David about Molly's death. "Now, where is Molly buried?" Isabeau asks politely, pussing up her fake glasses.

"She... she wasn't buried anywhere. She was cremated." David tells them.

* * *

The three walk out of David's house, all wearing their FBI garb. "So much for burning her bones." Dean grumbles.

"Yeah, but then what's keeping her here?" Sam asks.

* * *

Isabeau smiles sadly at Molly, "Some spirits only see what they want."

* * *

_**A few hours ago** _

Molly runs out onto the road, stopping the impala, "Stop! Stop!"

Dean slams on the breaks of the impala, "Holy-" Dean yells.

"You have to help me!" Molly begs.

Isabeau tilts her head at Molly, "Guys, I don't think she knows she's dead."

"Please!" Molly bangs on Sam's car window, "Open up! Please!"

Sam rolls down the window, "Okay, okay! All right, all right. Just calm down. Tell us what happened."

* * *

_**A few hours ago** _

"What are you gonna tell her?" Dean asks the two of them.

Isabeau shrugs, "The truth?"

Dean stares at her, "She's gonna take off running in the other direction."

* * *

_**A few hours ago** _

"Some spirits hold on too tight. Can't let go." Sam says to Molly while sitting on the bed in one of the rooms of Greeley's house.

* * *

"And Greeley?" Molly asks the three of them as they stand outside of David's house.

"Each year he punishes somebody for his death... ah, chasing them. Torturing them. And each year, that somebody is you." Sam says.

"But I don't remember any of it."

"Because you couldn't see the truth, Molly." Isabeau says.

"So that's why he won't let me off the highway. Because... I killed him. I killed us both." Molly realizes.

* * *

Molly sits on the steps as dawn approaches, "Why didn't you tell me when you first saw me? Why wait until now?"

"You wouldn't have believed us." Dean says.

"And you needed me for bait." Molly accuses Dean.

Sam shifts, "Well, we needed you."

"David."

Isabeau sighs, "Molly, we brought you here so you could move on."

"No, I have to tell him-" Molly stands up, looking at the house.

"Tell him what?" Sam asks, "That you love him? That you're sorry? Molly, he already knows that. Look, if you want to go in there, we're not gonna stop you."

"Yeah, but you are gonna freak him right out. For life." Dean says.

Isabeau quickly glances down, "David's already said his goodbyes, Molly. Now it's your turn. This is your unfinished business."

"What am I supposed to do?" Molly's voice breaks.

Isabeau swallows, a tear falling down her face, "Just... let go." Her voice slightly cracks, "Of David. Of everything. You do that... you'll move on." That's what she had to do when she died, or else she would've been a spirit.

Molly cries, "But you don't know where."

Isabeau shakes her head, "I have a feeling… a good one. But Molly, you don't belong here. Haven't you suffered long enough? It's time. It's time to go."

Molly nods sadly, then steps slowly away from the house. She turns her face upwards as the first light of dawn that creeps over the rooftops. Bathed in light, she becomes part of the light and vanishes.

Dean hooks his arm with Isabeau's. "I guess she wasn't so bad... for a ghost. You think she's really going to a better place?" He asks them.

"I hope so." Sam says.

"I guess we'll never know. Not until we take the plunge ourselves, huh?" Dean says. Isabeau smiles a little; she knew where they were going and it was a good place.

Sam reaches over and holds onto Isabeau's other hand, "Doesn't really matter, Dean. Hope's kind of the whole point."

"All right, Haley Joel." Dean smacks him in the shoulder, "Let's hit the road."

The three cross the road, breaking their formation and get back in the impala as a light rain begins to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got "Roadkill" done! "Heart", the next episode will be coming out sometime this week. I don't know when cause college is unpredictable and as an art student, I'm going to be pulling all nighters and it's only the first week so far. Also, please, please, go check out "Everything In-Between". It's a collection of short stories following Isabeau throughout the "Party of Three" main series. (Yes I said main, I two different versions of Isabeau's story lined up for the future.)
> 
> Inside "Everything In-Between" is a collection of fluff, angst, and, hey would you look at that, smut. I posted my very first smut last night, so please have mercy on my soul since it is my first time writing it.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	36. Heart Pt.1

Sam and Isabeau watch as the employee slides Nate's corpse from his compartment inside the morgue. "Here he is, Detectives." The employee says. Nate has stitches running along his chest, stomach, shoulders, and throat.

Both Isabeau and Sam observe the wounds. "That's a pretty nasty bite." Sam comments.

"Mm-hmm." The woman hums, agreeing with him.

Isabeau glances at the employee, "You know what bit him?" Though she already had a hunch on what killed him.

The employee averts her eyes, "I haven't quite determined that just yet."

Isabeau scoffs out a chuckle, "Come on, Doc. Off the record."

The employee stares at them, "Okay, way, way off the record…"

"Sure." Sam promises.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say the guy was attacked by a wolf. But, unless I know that the zoo is missing one of their lobos, I'm going with pit bull." She eyes Sam and Isabeau, "I like my job."

Sam chuckles, "Yeah, we hear you. One more thing. This guy - was his heart missing?"

The employee gives them a bewildered look, "Yeah, how did you know that? I haven't even finished my report."

Isabeau smiles, "Lucky guess." Yep, they knew exactly what this was. Guess it was time to make a call for help.

* * *

"This lawyer guy the first heart-free corpse in town?" Dean asks from his motel bed while cleaning his guns.

Sam goes over to the fridge, grabbing two beers. One for himself and one for Isabeau, "First man. Over the past year, several women have gone missing. Dead bodies all washed up later in the bay, too deteriorated to draw firm conclusions." Sam says.

Sam brings over a chair next to Isabeau and straddles it. He hands Isabeau her beer as she leans back in her chair with her legs crossed. She smiles at Sam, thankful, and takes her beer.

"But no hearts?" Dean asks them.

Isabeau shakes her head as she and Sam both pop the cap off of their beers, "No hearts. They were all hookers working at Hunter's Point. Now, cops are trying to keep things under wrap, but they're looking for a serial killer." She informs.

"And the lunar cycle?"

Isabeau hums, taking a drink of her beer, "Mm-hmm. Yeah, month after month, all the murders happen in the week leading up to the full moon."

A small smile makes its way onto Dean's face, "Which is this week, right?"

Sam nods, "Hence the lawyer."

Dean's small smile turns into a grin, "Awesome." He gets up from his seat and starts rifling through his bag. Isabeau chuckles at him fondly.

"Dean, could you be a bigger geek about this?" Sam scoffs.

Dean chuckles, "I'm sorry, man, but what about 'a human by day, a freak animal killing machine by moonlight' don't you understand? I mean, werewolves are badass. We haven't seen one since we were kids." Dean opens up a box full of silver bullets and sits back down with them.

Isabeau smiles to herself. Well, they're about to see one in a few minutes.

"Okay, Sparky. And you know what? After we kill it, we can go to Disneyland." Sam says sarcastically, leaning over in his seat.

"You know what the best part about it is? We already know how to bring these suckers down." Dean holds up a silver bullet, "One of these bad boys right to the heart. So, what's our next move?"

"Talk to the girl who found the body." Isabeau states.

A knock on the door makes them all turn. Sam and Dean exchange a look, "You expecting anyone?" Dean asks, ready to grab his gun.

Sam shakes his head, "No."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Down you two." She gets up from her seat and walks to the door. She turns to her boyfriends before she opens it, "You know how you said you haven't seen a werewolf since you were kids, Dean?"

Dean nods, him and Sam getting up from their seats, "Yeah."

Isabeau smiles, "Well, I sort of asked one to help us." Before both brothers could speak, she opens the door and is immediately tackled into a hug by a woman that was around Isabeau's age.

Isabeau laughs, "Nice to see you too, Gabriella."

The woman, Gabriella pulls away and smiles at Isabeau, "It's been too long, Isa." Gabriella had very long straight black hair with bangs, tan skin and beautiful hazel eyes. She was wearing a long, flowy sundress with long sleeves and knee high dark brown boots. Gabriella always wore dresses that never seemed practical for hunting, but she made it work.

"Let me get my stuff." Gabriella says, waking back to the door and grabs her bags, closing the door behind her.

Isabeau turns to her boyfriends, "Sam, Dean, this is Gabriella. Gabriella, my boyfriends, Sam and Dean." She introduces all of them to each other once Gabriella sets her things down.

Gabriella shakes hands with both brothers, "Nice to finally meet you guys. I hope you don't mind that I tag along with this case."

Sam nods, "Nice to meet you too."

"You're part of Isabeau's coven?" Dean asks.

Gabriella nods, "Yeah, I'm our resident werewolf, witch hybrid."

Dean's grin widens as Sam rolls his eyes at his brother. "Werewolf?" Dean asks excitedly.

Isabeau giggles while Sam comes over to her to wrap his arm around her waist. Isabeau looks at Gabriella, "Dean has a fascination with werewolves. So, expect questions."

Gabriella laughs, "Well, I'll answer any of them the best I can."

Sam smiles, "So, that's why Isabeau called you?"

"Yep, if it's a werewolf we're looking for, I'm your girl." Gabriella says, sharing a smile with Isabeau.

* * *

"I don't understand. I already gave my statement." Madison says as she lets the four of them inside her apartment.

"Right, well, we just need to verify a few things." Gabriella says, taking the lead. Isabeau raises a discrete brow at Gabriella. She noticed that Gabriella was staring for just a second too long on Madison.

Madison walks them into the living room where a man is sitting on the couch, "This is my neighbor, Glen. Glen, this is Detective…" Glen gets up from the couch.

Dean nods, "Landis. And Detective Dante." He introduces himself and Sam.

"Detectives Fisher and Waggner." Isabeau introduces herself and Gabriella, patting Gabriella on the back. Gabriella gives her a side look.

Glen smiles, "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it." He walks over to Madison.

Madison nods, "Okay. Thanks for the casserole."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Dean comments, causing Isabeau to grab his ass in warning. Dean's smile falls and is able to hide his reaction to Isabeau's warning.

"Just call if you need anything." Glen says and the five of them watch him leave.

They turn to Madison who smiles at them, "He's sweet. He came over to check on me. Have – have a seat."

They all sit down at the kitchen table, "You must be pretty shaken up. You were Nate Mulligan's assistant, right?" Sam asks, sitting besides Isabeau, who was at the head of the table. Dean was sitting on her other side as Gabriella sat across from Madison.

Madison nods, "For two years, yeah."

Gabriella nods, sitting directly across from her, "So, you knew all about him?"

"Probably knew more about him than he did. Nate was…" Madison smiles, "He was nice."

Isabeau crosses her arms, "But?"

"Nothing, really. I – He had a few scotches in him, and he'd started hitting on anyone in a five-mile radius. You know the type." Sam notices Dean's hand slowly sliding up Isabeau's thigh, trying to get back at her for grabbing his ass earlier. He grins as Isabeau shifts in her seat, the tips of her ears slightly turning red.

Sam clears his throat, "Yeah. I do, actually."

Dean's grin fades as he hears Sam's tone, and he becomes serious, "Did, uh, did he have any enemies?" He asks Madison, his hand sliding down to rest on Isabeau's knee.

Madison looks over, not noticing the intimacy between him and Isabeau, "What do you mean? It sure looked like an animal attack."

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, yeah, we're just covering all the bases. Anyone that might have had a beef with him – a former client, an ex?"

Gabriella notices her thinking of somebody, "What?"

"Well, this is embarrassing, but my ex-boyfriend, Kurt—" Madison says.

"Kurt have a last name?" Sam asks.

"Mueller." Madison answers, "After we broke up, he went kind of nuts. He's… well, he's kind of been stalking me. He got it in his head that something was going on between Nate and I. He showed up at my office."

"And what happened?" Gabriella asks.

"Kurt got into it with Nate, threw a punch before security grabbed him. I was lucky to keep my job." Madison explains.

Isabeau nods, "When was the last time you saw Kurt?"

"A few nights ago. Actually, the night Nate died. We were all grabbing drinks at this bar, and Kurt showed up."

"And?" Dean asks.

Madison shakes her head, "Nothing. It was... like he was watching me. Then he was gone. To tell you the truth… he scares me."

* * *

The four of them exit Madison's apartment. "So, what do you think?" Dean asks them.

"Stalker ex-boyfriend? He hates the boss. And he was there that night." Sam says.

"Think he's our dog-faced boy?"

Gabriella shrugs, "Well, it's a theory."

"We've had worse." Isabeau comments as they make their way to the impala.

"Yeah." Sam agrees.

"What do you say we pay Kurt a visit?" Dean suggests.

The four get into the impala; Sam and Dean in the front and Isabeau decides to sit in the back with Gabriella.

Inside the apartment, Madison hears something outside. She goes to the window and, gasps, seeing Kurt watching her from the lawn. When she looks again, he is gone.

* * *

Dean picks the lock of Kurt's apartment, and they enter. The four look through the entire apartment. Gabriella takes a deep breath trying to calm herself as she's searching.

Isabeau keeps a watchful eye on her, knowing that the lunar cycle was affecting her. Just not in the way it does to normal werewolves.

"Anything?" Sam asks, searching through some papers.

Dean closes the fridge he was looking through, "No, nothing but leftovers and a six-pack."

Isabeau and Gabriella come walking over. Isabeau leans against the archway, "Check the freezer. Maybe there's some human hearts behind the Haagen-Dazs or something."

Gabriella gives her a look at that comment. Isabeau raises her hands in defense, "Hey, you wanna know how many times I come across your hearts in the freezer while I'm trying to get ice cream? Too many."

As Dean turns to the freezer, they hear a door open and close, followed by a crash outside. Dean steps out the sliding glass door onto the balcony. On the wall of the building, he notices claw marks, in the concrete wall, sliding all the way down to the ground.

"Guys, come here!" The others join him, "Check it out." Dean points to the claw marks.

Gabriella sniffs the air, suddenly letting out a low growl in her throat and her eyes flash yellow. Isabeau places a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down, Gabby." Isabeau whispers.

* * *

A policeman is walking around in the streets and hears a crash nearby, "Somebody there?"

There is an animal watching the policeman from the dumpster. It growls and jumps to attack the policeman as he approaches.

* * *

They headed back into the apartment, continuing their search. Gabriella's eyes didn't change from their yellow, though she did calm down a bit. The lunar cycle was a pain in the ass. She could only imagine how her mother and her younger siblings handled it.

The four of them hear a gunshot and all of them exit the apartment. They race down to the street, only to find the policeman's body completely mauled behind the dumpster.

* * *

Sam and Isabeau looked around to see if anyone was coming their way. "I'll call 911." Isabeau states, pulling out her phone.

Dean pushes aside the dumpster and bends down to examine the corpse. Gabriella does the same, sniffing at the corpse.

"I'd say Kurt's looking more and more like our Cujo." Dean looks up at Sam and Isabeau.

Gabriella lets out another low growl, letting her eyes turn back to their normal hazel, "Guys, if he's out here, we better check on Madison."

* * *

Sam knocks on Madison's front door. Across the hall, Glen opens his door to see the commotion. "What's going on?" Glen asks.

"Police business, Glen." Isabeau gives him a hard smile.

Madison answers the door, "What is it?"

Gabriella glances at Glen, "Well, maybe we should talk privately."

* * *

They all stand in Madison's kitchen. She's pouring the boys and Gabriella coffee while Isabeau sips on the tea that she made moments before.

"Has Kurt been here?" Gabriella asks, curious.

"Not exactly." Madison says.

"What exactly does 'not exactly' mean?" Dean asks as Madison pours the last bit of coffee in Gabriella's cup.

Madison scoffs, "Well, he was outside last night. Just…looking. Just looking at me." All four of them exchange a look. "Has he done something?" Madison asks.

Sam sighs, "We're not really sure."

"It's probably nothing, but… we just don't wanna take any chances." Isabeau thinks for a second, noticing that Gabriella was once again staring at Madison, "In fact, one of us should probably stay here with you? Just in case he stops by."

Gabriella glances over at Isabeau as she continues talking, "Where does he work?" She asks.

"He owns a body shop." Madison answers.

"You mind grabbing that address for us?" Isabeau asks. Madison nods and leaves the room.

Dean smiles, "Thanks."

Isabeau sets down her cup, and turns to the others, "All right, Sam, Dean and I will go. Gabby, you stay."

Gabriella's jaw drops and she sets down her cup, "W-what? Why do you guys get to go." She drops her voice down to a whisper, "I'm the werewolf here, I'm better off with you guys."

Sam shakes his head, "We'll be fine. We each have silver bullets and you're better off staying here if Kurt is the werewolf and decides to come back."

"You can keep Madison safe. Better than any of us." Dean adds on, agreeing with his brother and girlfriend. Dean would've loved to see Gabriella in full werewolf action, but it's better to keep her somewhere, where she would be most effective.

Isabeau smirks, crossing her arms, "Plus, I saw the way you were looking at her. You got a thing for her."

Gabriella puffs out, "I do not."

The three of them give her a look. Sam and Dean both noticed the way Gabriella was looking at Madison as well.

Gabriella slumps her shoulders, "But… I don't know if she even likes girls."

Isabeau shrugs, "Won't know until you try. Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky."

"Need I also remind you I'm a werewolf, witch hybrid and she's a human." Gabriella points out.

Isabeau raises a brow at her, "So?" She points to herself, "Elemental and witch hybrid…" She points at Sam and Dean, "That's dating _two_ humans. Plus, don't forget Carmen is dating a human that's all the way in Ireland as well."

Gabriella sighs in defeat, "Okay…"

Isabeau smiles, placing a light, feathery kiss on Gabriella's lips, "Good luck."

* * *

Later that morning, Madison is checking through the mail while Gabriella watches from the kitchen table. She smiles uncomfortably at her. A ferocious werewolf hybrid being uncomfortable in front of a human… weird. Though Gabriella was always shy when it came to women.

Madison notices her shifting in her seat, uncomfortable, "Um… do you wanna sit on the couch?" She asks her.

Gabriella shakes her head, "No. No, no. I'm okay."

"It's more comfortable."

Gabriella waves a dismissive hand, "Ah, I'm fine."

Madison goes to set her mail down and Gabriella scratches the back of her neck nervously. Being in Madison's apartment was a little overwhelming. Her senses were just filled with Madison's scent and it was sort of clouding her mind in desire.

The lunar cycle and adding an attractive woman in the mix was a deadly combination.

Madison and Gabriella catch each other's eyes and Madison walks away with a smile. Gabriella turns forward in her seat. Yep, she was in deep.

Madison comes back to the table with a basket of laundry. Dumping it onto the table, she begins sorting through her underwear, pulling up a tiny lacy thong.

Gabriella's ears turn red, "You know, I think I will sit on the couch." She gets up, walking over to the couch, her heart beating fast. The only time her heart ever beat that fast is if she was on a run with her family.

Madison smiles to herself, satisfied that she made Gabriella flustered. Even though she did have a recent breakup, she couldn't help but find Gabriella beautiful and adorable.

Gabriella sits there awkwardly until her phone rings and she answers; it's Isabeau.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean are walking down the street. "Let me guess. You're sitting on her couch like a stiff, trying to think of something to say." Isabeau guesses.

Gabriella softly growls at her in warning, "Did you find Kurt?"

Isabeau scoffs before answering, "No, he hasn't been at work all week. But because we're good, and I mean really, really good, we got a line on where he might be." Dean lets Isabeau slide into the impala first and then Dean and Sam slide in as well.

She smirks, "What's she wearing?" Both Sam and Dean give her a look.

Gabriella's eye twitches, "Bye, Isa." She hangs up.

Isabeau chuckles, hanging up the phone, "Oh, Gabby."

Dean starts up the impala as Sam wraps an arm around Isabeau's shoulder, "She good?" Sam asks with a smile.

Isabeau nods with a chuckle, "Yeah, she's just… a little shy when it comes to women. She needs a push here and there."

* * *

Madison comes to sit by Gabriella on the couch. She turns on the TV to a soap opera. Gabriella makes a face, visibly annoyed by the choice of programming.

Madison glances over, "I saw that."

Gabriella looks over, confused, "Saw what?"

Madison looks at her with a smile, "Okay, this is the deal - my house, my TV. I never get to watch my show. So suck it up."

* * *

Later, after the credits have rolled, Gabriella is sitting forward on the couch, completely riveted.

Gabriella glances back, "Wait, so, so, Kendall married Ethan's father, just to get back at him?" She asks.

Madison nods, "Yup. And now she's set to inherit all the casinos that were supposed to go to Ethan."

Gabriella looks back at the TV, "What a bitch!"

The two women laugh, "Admit it, you're hooked." Madison demands.

Gabriella raises a finger at her, "No, no, no, no, no, no. I wouldn't say I'm hooked." Madison giggles at her.

Gabriella shifts to turn to Madison, "You know, can I ask you a question? It's – it's a little personal."

"You've seen my entire underwear collection. Go ahead." Madison says.

Gabriella smiles and nods, "Okay, um… well, you're – you're clearly smart. I mean, your house is full, is full of great books, you know? And you're independent …"

Madison nods, "Uh-huh."

Gabriella softly chuckles, "What were you doing with Kurt?"

Madison pauses, "I don't know. I mean, it's not like he introduced himself, like, 'Hi, I'm possessive and controlling and I like to punch people. Wanna be my girlfriend?'"

They laugh again and Gabriella nods, "Yeah, well, I guess we all make mistakes."

"Yeah, well, mine's wanted by the police." Madison stares at Gabriella, "You wanna know why I stayed with him? Really?"

Gabriella nods.

"I was too insecure to leave." Madison admits.

"I find that hard to believe. I mean, you don't really seem like the type." Gabriella says.

"Yeah, well, some stuff happened. My life changed, I changed. For the better, I think." Madison answers.

Gabriella stares, "What happened?"

"Well, for one thing, I got mugged." Madison says.

"And that's supposed to be a good thing?" Gabriella asks, surprised.

Madison laughs, "I know, it sounds strange. And don't get me wrong, it rattled me. But – then it hit me. I could keep feeling sorry for myself, or I could take control of my life. I chose the latter. First thing I did was tell Kurt he had to go."

"Smart move." Gabriella says.

"Apparently." Madison shakes her head, "Everything else just opened up, blossomed. It's all been wonderful, really."

Gabriella shrugs.

"What? Doesn't everybody think that being a victim of random violence is the best thing that ever happened to them?" Madison asks.

Gabriella laughs, "Yeah, not so much." She pauses, "You're… unusual." Gabriella says, awkwardly.

Madison raises a brow, "Unusual, like…" She circles her finger, pointing to her head, meaning 'crazy', "Unusual?"

"No. No. No, no, no. Unusual, like… impressive." Gabriella says, earnestly.

"You think so?" Madison asks.

As Gabriella is about to answer, her phone rings. She smiles apologetically, "Sorry." She answers, "Hey."

"We found him." Isabeau says, sitting at a table a little ways away from the stage of the strip club. She was leaning back into the love seat that she was sitting in, both Sam and Dean on both of her sides. Both of them sitting a little closer than usual.

"Good, don't take your eyes off him." Gabriella says.

Isabeau glances at Kurt who is sitting at the table in front of the stage, watching the stripper. She looks back over at her boyfriends who are glaring at any man or woman that was staring at them.

She rolls her eyes; they weren't being suspicious at all, "Oh, yeah, my eyes are glued. Look, Gabby, I gotta let you go. I, uh, I don't wanna... don't wanna miss anything." She hangs up her phone, shoving it in her pocket.

Isabeau stares at her boyfriends, "You know, you guys are being really suspicious right now. Kind of need to blend in."

Dean looks over, "How do you suppose we do that, sweetheart?"

Sam turns to her, "Not really in the mood to be looking at strippers, Beau."

"Not unless you're up there." Dean comments with a smirk.

Isabeau snorts, "Real classy, but I have a different idea in mind… if you're up for it."

"What do you have in mind?" Sam asks.

Isabeau smirks, lifting one of her legs over Dean's knee, letting her legs spread apart. She grabs Dean's hand and brings it to her thigh, guiding his hand up higher.

She takes her other hand and palms Sam over his jeans. Sam jumps at the touch, and both brothers look around, nervous that people could see what was happening from the waist down.

"We're in a strip club, boys, in a dark corner, and our bodies mostly hidden by the black cloth of our table. Most couples do this all the time." Isabeau explains, not moving her hands, waiting for her boyfriends to say that they were okay with this.

Sam and Dean share a look; never once did Isabeau bring up the idea of both of them being sexual with her at the same time. It was always letting the other brother have alone time with her and not disturbing.

Noticing the hesitant looks on both Sam and Dean's faces, Isabeau pulls her hand away from Sam and pulls Dean's hand away, "I'm sorry. If neither of you are-"

Sam cuts her off with an open mouthed kiss, his tongue sliding in as he guides Isabeau's hand back to him, letting her hand slide underneath his shirt and the waistband of his jeans.

Sam groans out as Isabeau's hand palms him over his boxers, "It's okay." He says, pulling away for a moment and goes back to kissing Isabeau.

Isabeau hums out a moan as Dean moves her leg back over his knee, his hand sliding underneath her own jeans, rubbing her through her lace underwear. His other hand pushes away some of her hair and pulls down her shirt and jacket over her shoulder to expose her neck to him.

Dean leans over, his lips sucking and biting at her skin, "Just keep your eye on Kurt, sweetheart. Can't lose sight of him." Dean demands, his mind half on focusing on the hunt and the other taking pleasure in pleasing his girlfriend as she pleases his brother.

Isabeau pulls away from Sam's kiss, his lips trailing down from her lips and copying the same actions of his older brother on the other side of her neck as she keeps her eye on Kurt.

Never did she think that her boyfriends would be comfortable doing this in front of people. Yes, they were hidden and anyone who walked by just thought that all they were doing was kissing and having a little fun.

Though the patrons didn't know that there was so much more going on from underneath the table.

Together, the three of them were growing, becoming more comfortable expressing their relationship so openly.

Isabeau growls out in anger as Kurt gets up from his seat and starts to leave, "He's leaving."

Disappointed, all three of them stop their actions, pulling away from each other. When Dean's hand fully pulls away, Isabeau gets up and makes her way to discreetly follow Kurt.

Both brothers sit flustered for a quick moment, "Damn it." They both growled out, upset that they're moment didn't last long.

They get up front their seat, following their girlfriend and shifting their pants as they walk.

Kurt couldn't have stayed just a little bit longer.


	37. Heart Pt.2

Madison joins Gabriella in the living room, while she watches the full moon from the window. Her eyes have turned yellow; she was itching to turn fully.

"So, um… I'm gonna turn in." Madison says behind her.

Gabriella blinks and her eyes turn back to normal. She turns around to face Madison, "Okay, yeah. Well, I'll be here."

Madison nods, "Okay."

"You know, if you hear anything, I mean if you wake up, just – just call out." Gabriella fidgets awkwardly.

Madison stares at her and then nods again, "Okay."

"Okay." Gabriella echoes.

Madison smiles uncomfortably and goes into her bedroom. Once Madison is gone from her view, Gabriella sighs, frustrated with herself.

* * *

Later, Gabriella is watching TV in the living room. She glances at Madison's bedroom, but there's no movement.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dean, Isabeau and Sam are standing on the street outside Kurt's house. They see a light turn on inside the house and get their guns ready.

Suddenly, they hear glass shattering. They look back up to see the lights off in the house.

Isabeau tilts her head.

"What the—?" Dean questions.

The three of them run to the house and burst through the door with their gun at the ready. Entering one of the rooms, they see a woman hovering over Kurt's mauled body. She turns towards them; it's Madison, she's the werewolf.

Though she still looks human, her eyes have turned an electric blue, her teeth have turned to bloody fangs, and she has long claws.

Madison growls and runs at them. Isabeau is able to duck out of the way, but Sam and Dean are less fortunate, being pushed into the wall, both dropping their guns. Sam falls unconscious from the force that Madison pushed him.

"Madison, no!" Isabeau tries calling out, knowing that Madison had no control over what she was doing.

Madison runs at Dean and he cuts her arm with his knife. She growls in pain, and runs out the open window.

Isabeau watches as Madison runs away and sighs, "Damn."

She looks over at Sam and Dean, Dean now unconscious with his brother. "No, no, no, no." Isabeau repeats, running over them, making sure that they didn't have any serious injuries.

Isabeau sighs, "This is just great." She says sarcastically.

* * *

The next morning, Gabriella is still at Madison's apartment, awake, and getting a glass of water. She answers her ringing cell phone, "Isa, you okay?"

Isabeau hands Sam a towel of ice for his head, "Yeah, now that Sam and Dean are conscious. The werewolf knocked them out. Gabriella, it's Madison."

"What?!" Gabriella asks, confused.

"Yeah, awesome job of keeping an eye on her." Isabeau says, gently taking a look at the back of Dean's head.

Gabriella enters Madison's bedroom to see that she is sound asleep, apparently naked, in bed.

"Isa, I've been here the whole time. She's in bed, asleep. And I would've smelt it if she changed." Gabriella says.

Isabeau sighs, "Well, she wasn't an hour ago. Check her right arm below her elbow. Dean nicked her with a silver knife."

* * *

Gabriella hangs up. Madison rolls over and wakes up, noticing Gabriella, "Morning."

She sits up and notices that she is naked, covered only by her bed sheets. Gabriella sees the wound on her arm.

"Um… where are my pajamas?" Madison asks. Gabriella, upset, leaves the bedroom.

"Gabriella? What's going on? Where are you going?" Madison jumps out of bed, wrapping the comforter around her, and follows her to the living room, where she is locking the front door.

Gabriella turns to face her, "I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you."

* * *

Later, Madison is seated in a chair, with her wrists bound. Gabriella is standing in front of her, her arms crossed and tilting her head at her.

"You're psychotic. The whole 'I'm a cop' trip. God, I am so stupid." Madison says with tears in her eyes.

Gabriella frowns, "Well, I guess neither of us are who we said we were, huh?" The fact that Madison was a werewolf didn't upset Gabriella, it was the fact that she was hiding it from her and killing people.

"Gabriella, you're sick, okay? You're imagining things. Monsters don't exist, not really." Madison says.

"You know what? Save the act." Gabriella growls out.

Madison cries, "It's not an act! I am not a werewolf! There's no such thing! It's made up, all right? Th– They're not real! You know they're not real!"

"No?!" Gabriella points to her wound, "Then where did that come from?"

Madison has tears streaming down her face, "I don't know! Gabriella, God, you need help. Please, don't do something that you're gonna regret. I'm not what you think I am. I'm not."

Gabriella, visibly upset, hears knocking at the door. She opens it to see Dean, Isabeau and Sam, who enters. Dean smirks at Madison, "How you doin'? My head feels great, thanks." Both him and Sam pull out their guns.

Gabriella shares a look with Isabeau, who is playing with her rosary, making no move to take out her gun. "We've gotta talk." Gabriella says and brings them into another room.

"She says she has no idea what I'm talking about." Gabriella tells them.

Dean purses his lips, "She's lying."

"Or maybe she really doesn't know she's changing, you know? Maybe – maybe when the werewolf part takes over, she blacks out." Gabriella proposes.

Isabeau's eyes widen, walking up to Gabriella, "Like Luke in high school."

Sam looks at the two girls confused, "Luke? Who's Luke?"

Isabeau shoves her hands in her jacket pockets, "Luke was a classmate from highschool that got bitten by a werewolf. He didn't know that he was changing and accidentally killed a couple of people."

"We got to him before he could kill anymore and we helped him. Helped him find a pack that would help him control it. He's living a relatively normal life in Ohio with his pack." Gabriella explains.

"Come on you guys," Sam starts, "She ganked her boss and her ex-boyfriend. That doesn't sound rash and unconscious."

"Yeah, but that's the thing, Dean." Isabeau interjects, "The werewolf part of her brain saw both those guys as threats. Hell, the cop, too. That's what happened with Luke."

Dean shakes his head, "Beau, Gabby… you can't be sure about this. I mean, how could you know?"

"Look, man, I just… I don't know, there, there, there was something in her eyes." Gabriella begs. Deep down she was hoping that this was the same case with Madison as it was with Luke.

"Yeah, she's killing people!" Dean exclaims.

Sam thinks for a moment, "But if she has no control over it—"

Dean points at him, "Exactly. She can't control it. Even if she's telling the truth, it's not gonna change anything."

"I'm not putting a bullet through some girl's chest who has no idea what's happening." Gabriella growls at him. Isabeau places a hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her down.

Dean huffs, "She's a monster."

"And so are we!" Gabriella exclaims. Dean realizes his slip up and swears at himself.

Isabeau sighs, "Dean, I get it. You didn't mean it that way, but I mean, you're not wrong either. We are monsters… some more than others."

Gabriella frowns, knowing what she meant, "Isa… what you did… you had no control."

Sam and Dean look back and forth between the two women, "Beau, what is she talking about?" Dean asks.

"This is about what you were telling us? About that time you fell into your dark hole?" Sam asks, recalling their past conversations about the subject.

Isabeau nods, "Look, all of us in the coven have lost control at some point, I lost control big time and practically put everyone I love in danger and my coven never gave up on me and we never give up on each other."

Gabriella nods, "So if there's some way that we can get the job done and save her, I'd say let's do it."

Dean shares a look with Sam, "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Dean asks him.

Sam nods and pulls out John's journal, flipping through it, "Dad's theory – 'lycanthropy might have a cure if you kill the werewolf who bit you, severing the bloodline'."

" _Might_ have a cure. Meaning 'who the hell knows?'"

Gabriella inhales, "It's worth a shot."

Dean shakes his head, "We don't even know where to start looking, all right? I mean, the puppy that bit her could be anyone, anywhere. It could've been years ago."

Gabriella realizes something, "No. I don't think so."

She leads them back to the living room, where Madison is still seated. "Madison, when were you mugged?" Gabriella asks. She doesn't want to answer, just looking at her.

"Please. It's important, all right? Just answer the question." Gabriella begs.

"About a month ago." Madison answers.

"Did you see the guy?"

Madison shakes her head, "No. He grabbed me from behind."

Gabriella huffs, "Did he bite you?"

"How did you know that?" Madison answers after a pause.

"Where?"

"On, on the back of my neck."

Gabriella nods, gesturing for Sam and Dean to put their guns away and they do so. She goes behind her, gently brushing her hair away and exposing a scarred lump the size of a golf ball on her neck.

"Oh, that's just a love bite. Believe me, that could have been a lot worse. Where were you at the time?" Dean says, taking a look at the bite himself.

"Walking home from a friend's loft." Madison answers.

"Let me guess. Not too far from Hunter's Point?" Sam asks.

Madison nods.

* * *

The four are back in the other room; Gabriella closes the door and turns to face them, "The same place where those other murders happened. I'm telling you, it's a werewolf's hunting grounds." She says.

Dean shakes his head, "Maybe, but that doesn't mean it's gonna be out there tonight."

"It's the right time of the lunar cycle. Look, it's a long shot." Sam says, trying to convince Dean not just for the sake of Gabriella but for the sake of Isabeau. If there was a way to save Madison, they should take it.

Dean sighs, "All right. But, we're forgetting something. Maddie's probably gonna turn soon, all right? We can't just let her take off to an all-you-can-eat buffet."

Isabeau nods, "Gabriella will stay with her." Gabriella nods in agreement.

"And if she busts loose?" Dean asks. Gabriella doesn't respond, thinking. "Gabby?"

Gabriella takes a breath, "Then one of two things will happen… Either I'll do what I have to or… I bite her."

Isabeau stares at her, "Gabriella…"

"Wouldn't that just make things worse for Madison?" Sam asks.

Gabriella shakes her head, "No, if I bite her then… I can help her control it. It'd be like creating a pack between the two of us. That's what happened with Luke. He was randomly bitten, he had no one, but with a pack, a newly turned werewolf can learn to control it."

Gabriella sighs, "But, that and shooting her is the last resort. I need you to go out there. At least go look for the thing. Guys, please. We can save this girl."

Isabeau smiles softly at Gabriella, "You got it, Gabby." She pats both Sam and Dean on their backs.

Gabriella sends her a grateful nod.

The three leave the apartment and Gabriella rejoins Madison, who is still crying, "Please. Just let me go."

Gabriella looks at her sympathetically and pulls up a chair to sit in front of her, "Look… I know you're scared. I also know that there's no way in hell you're gonna believe me. But I'm doing this because I'm trying to help you. I'm not gonna lie, all right, the odds aren't exactly in our favor."

A tear falls down Gabriella's face, "But if this goes the way I pray it does… I'll untie you, and I'll walk out that door, and I'll never come back. You'll live the rest of your life... And I'll just be a bad memory." She says painfully.

* * *

A woman, clearly a hooker, is walking down a dark street alone. She stops when she hears an animal howling, and looks around nervously.

* * *

Gabriella is watching the full moon while Madison sits in the chair.

Suddenly, Madison's fingernails grow, stretching into claws. Her eyes turn bright blue and she bares her fangs.

Gabriella turns just as she breaks loose from the chair. She knocks her to the ground, scratching her cheek, but she quickly gets up, a growl ripping through her throat.

She looks up at Madison, her own fingernails growing into claws and her eyes turn yellow.

* * *

The hooker is running down the street when suddenly, she comes face-to-face with the animal and it starts chasing her down the street.

* * *

Gabriella bares her fangs at Madison. Just as she lunges at her, she moves out of the way, forcing her into her bedroom.

She moves the entertainment center in front of the door, trapping her inside. Her yellow eyes now glowing violet, keeping her back with not just her strength but with her telekinesis.

* * *

The werewolf catches up with the hooker, dragging her screaming across the pavement.

"Hey!" Dean shouts.

The werewolf looks up just as Dean shoots him three times in the chest. The werewolf is Madison's neighbor, Glen.

The woman stands up, frightened, and glances at Dean with Isabeau and Sam behind him before running away.

Isabeau raises her arms at the hooker, "Hey, don't mention it!" She calls out to her. A thank you would've been nice.

The three crouch next to Glen, who is coughing and choking. His mouth is covered in blood. After a moment, his fangs retract, and he returns to normal, "It happened... again. Where am I? H–help me. Oh, God. Oh my God." Glen coughs.

Isabeau stands up, covering her mouth, "He couldn't control it." She whispers.

Dean glances up at Isabeau and looks back down at Glen, "All right, easy, Glen. Just take it easy."

They watch as Glen dies, his eyes glazing over.

* * *

The next morning, Madison wakes up still dressed as Gabriella opens the bedroom door, "It should be over now. You'll never see me again." Her voice breaks.

Standing, Madison surveys the bedroom. Furniture is overturned, and there are claw marks covering every inch of the walls. When she turns around, Gabriella is gone.

* * *

The four of them are parked outside Madison's building. Gabriella was leaning her head against the window, staring at particularly nothing.

Isabeau frowns at Gabriella. She knew that this was the first time in a long time that she fell in love again. Her first relationship wasn't the best. Nothing like a human woman torturing her to scar her love life for over five years.

Gabriella was just getting comfortable with being around human women again, and even going out with a few. But this was the first time since then that she was actually in love. And it pained Isabeau to see once again that Gabriella was heart broken.

Dean leans back in his seat, "It was sort of sad, actually. Glen had no clue what was going on. Hey, why do you think he turned Madison instead of just killing her in the first place?"

Sam shakes his head, "I don't know. I mean, he kind of seemed to have a thing for her."

"Maybe his primal instinct did, too. Maybe he was looking for a little, uh, hot breeding action." Isabeau comments.

Gabriella breaks from her trance, glancing over at Isabeau, "Yeah. Something like that." She says.

Isabeau turns in her seat, leaning back against the door, propping her leg on the seat, "So?" She says to Gabriella.

"So what?" Gabriella asks.

"Speaking of Madison…?"

Gabriella rolls her eyes, "Oh, whatever."

Isabeau frowns again, "Don't 'whatever' me, Gabby, you liked her. Maybe, you even-"

"Isa, she thought I was a stark-raving lunatic." Gabriella retaliates.

"You saved her life." Sam comments from the front seat.

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that." Gabriella says.

Madison appears at Gabriella's window and knocks on it. Gabriella rolls it down as Madison speaks, "You know, for a stake-out, your car's a bit conspicuous. What are you still doing here?"

"Honestly?" Dean asks, "Uh, we're pretty sure you're not gonna turn tonight, but we've gotta be a hundred percent, so… you know, we're... lurking."

Isabeau winces, "Bad choice of words, Dearie."

"Look, I know this sounds crazy." Gabriella says.

Madison nods, "Sure does. Well, if we're gonna wait it out… we might as well do it together."

* * *

Madison lets them inside, "You were telling the truth, weren't you? About everything. What you did – it was to help me."

"Yeah." Gabriella says softly.

"I did all of those horrible things… when I turned." Madison asks.

Gabriella glances away briefly, "You didn't know."

"So, when will we know for sure? Moonrise?" Madison asks after a pause.

Gabriella shakes her head, "No. You turned middle of the night last night. We've gotta hang in until sun-up. That's been my experience."

Madison furrows her brows, "Your experience?"

Gabriella exchanges a look with Isabeau who nods.

She turns back to Madison, when she blinks her eyes turn yellow. Madison's eyes widen, "W-what?"

"That's part of the reason why I know about werewolves… I'm half werewolf." Gabriella explains, blinking again and her eyes turn back to their original hazel.

Silence hangs in the air between all of them. Dean purses his lips, wrapping his arm around Isabeau's waist, "Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a few hours to kill. Poker, anyone?"

* * *

Later, the five of them watch as the sun sinks and the moon rises. Dean and Sam lay their guns on the table, just in case. Gabriella and Madison watch them from the couch.

Dean nods at the two women, "Oh, no, you guys talk."

Isabeau swats his arm, giving him a mock glare. The three of them talk as Gabriella and Madison stare at each other.

"So… part werewolf, huh?" Madison says, trying to start a conversation.

Gabriella chuckles, scratching her neck, "Ah, yeah. And part witch, so. Kind of known as a hybrid."

Madison nods and glances over at the others, "Are any of them like you?"

Gabriella looks over at the others and back at Madison, "Just Isabeau. She's a hybrid too. Part elemental and part witch. She can control fire and lightning and well, do a lot more than that. She's sort of our 'leader'. Hough she hates it when we call her that."

Gabriella clears her throat, "But, Sam and Dean are human. Both of them are dating Isabeau too."

Madison blinks, "Oh, that's certainly new." Madison gives her reassuring smile, "In a good way."

Gabriella nods in agreement, "She deserves them. Love and relationships are hard to comeby for us hybrids."

Madison hums, "Why?"

"Us hybrids are sort of seen as abominations by both my kind and humans. We're sort of hunted from both ends. We try to live normal lives and live peacefully with everyone. Have normal human jobs, help other creatures that just want to live their lives, save others that need help." Gabriella explains.

"Saving me." Madison asks.

Gabriella stares at her, "Yeah, saving you. I'm not giving up on you."

* * *

A few hours later, they watch from the window as the sun comes up. "Does – does this mean it worked?" Madison asks them.

"Yeah. I think so." Gabriella says, relieved.

Madison sighs in relief, "Oh, God, thank you. Thank you so much." She gives Gabriella a hug.

Dean clears his throat, and they pull away. Madison laughs, "You, too, guys. Thank you." She thanks the three of them.

Isabeau shrugs, "Aw, don't mention it." There's an awkward pause, Isabeau smiles, grabbing both Sam and Dean's hands, "So, we're just gonna head back to the hotel and… watch some Pay-Per-View, or something."

They leave the apartment, Isabeau giving Gabriella a knowing smile as the three of them leave.

"That was smooth, heh." Madison points out.

"She means well, but…" Gabriella trails off.

Madison looks at her, "You mean, she thinks you're gonna get laid." She smiles.

Gabriella's ears turn red, "Look, I—"

"It's okay." Madison reassures.

Gabriella shakes her head, "No. I know I scared the crap out of you, all right? I–I mean, I tied you to a chair. Not to mention I'm a werewolf."

Madison shakes her head, "That's right up there with me scratching up your face. And… you being a werewolf, witch hybrid, doesn't bother me."

Gabriella licks her lips, "There's just no way... we could go back, you know? Before it happened."

"You're right. There's just no way." Madison agrees.

Gabriella shakes her head. Then, after a moment, Madison gives in and kisses her. Gabriella immediately responds, pushing her against the wall.

Gabriella's eyes turn their yellow, a habit that she had whenever her emotions were strong. Madison smiles at her eyes, "Beautiful." Madison whispers and Gabriella could feel her heart beating even faster than it was before.

They strip each other of their clothing and make their way to the bedroom, falling back onto the bed. Throughout the night, they continue to make passionate love, letting go of all they had been holding back.

Madison didn't care what Gabriella was, in that moment, Gabriella and her were one. And both women hoped that this would last forever.

Hours later, they fall asleep in each other's arms, completely content.

* * *

The full moon rises and Gabriella wakes up and looks around. She hears a growl and turns to see Madison, who has returned to her werewolf form, eyes blue and fangs bared.

Before Gabriella can catch her, she jumps out the window, leaving her stunned.

* * *

Gabriella runs down the hall to Dean, Isabeau and Sam's room, pounding on the door. Isabeau answers, sheets gathered around her naked body. Isabeau furrows her brow, "Gabby?"

"She – she turned." Gabriella says breathlessly.

"What?" Isabeau asks.

"I couldn't grab her in time." Gabriella says.

Isabeau swallows, "We'll find her, Gabby." Isabeau looks back at Sam and Dean who are both in naked with the sheets covering them and a space in between them where Isabeau was laying down.

Both motel beds pushed together to create one giant bed. They look at Isabeau, worried.

Isabeau looks back at Gabriella, "We'll find her."

* * *

Now dressed, the four of them quickly make their way out of the motel.

"I already called Bobby. He doesn't know anything. Except he knew severing the bloodline wouldn't work. That's everyone. They all say it's impossible to reverse it." Sam informs them.

"How come she didn't turn when we were with her?" Dean asks.

"De—" Gabriella starts.

"So, what, you put her to bed and then she wolfed out? Maybe she's gotta be asleep to turn." Dean concludes.

"What the hell does it matter, De?" Gabriella asks, "Look, we've gotta find some way to help her, some legend we missed or something. I might be a werewolf, but… I'm technically pureblood. All of us technically don't know when it comes down to werewolves that were bitten at random."

"No, we do know." Isabeau brings up, "Luke. We found him a pack and they helped him. We just gotta find Madison a pack, one that we trust."

Gabriella shakes her head, "Isa, we're low on time and it could take us weeks, hell, even months to find a pack that'll take her in."

"Or you could do it." Isabeau suggests.

Gabriella stares at Isabeau, "I… I can't lead a pack. I'm shy and not as strong as my mother. I can't do that. And besides, it's her choice. I'm not gonna force Madison to take this life."

Her phone rings and she answers. "Gabriella?" Madison asks from a phone booth.

"Madison, where are you?" Gabriella asks worriedly.

Madison cries, "I don't – I don't – I don't know where I am."

"Well, do you see any street signs?"

Madison looks around, "Um… yeah, yeah, Middle Point."

"All right, hold on, Madison. We're coming to get you, just stay where you are." Gabriella tells her as they all hop into the impala.

* * *

The five of them are in the living room of Madison's apartment. A gun is sitting on the table. "I don't remember anything. I probably killed someone last night. Didn't I?" Madison asks at the table.

"There's no way to know yet." Dean says quietly.

Madison looks at him, "Is there something else we can try to make it go away?"

Sam sighs, "We'll find something. I mean, there's gotta be some answer, somewhere."

"That's not entirely true. Madison, you deserve to know. We've scoured every source. There's just no cure." Dean admits.

"Is – is he right?" Madison asks Gabriella.

Choking up, Gabriella stands and turns away.

Isabeau sighs, "We can find you a pack. They'll help you, take you in, teach you to learn how to control it."

Madison looks up at her, "Don't I get a choice?"

Gabriella turns around, "Of course you do. But, it could be a very long time until we find a cure. Believe me when I say we've looked. We know many others that are searching."

"Gabriella, I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you." Madison admits.

Gabriella sniffles, "It's your choice, Madison. I won't force you to go with a pack. I'm not forcing you to do anything."

Madison thinks for a second, and picks up the gun, bringing it to Gabriella. Gabriella chokes up, "This is what you choose?" Gabriella asks, her voice breaking.

Madison looks back down at the gun, "Is there a chance for me at all?"

Gabriella bites her lip, "If we get you with a pack, yes. You can stop killing, you'll be able to control it. And sooner or later, it'll just become a you. I had to learn. Not all of us were born with control." She shares a knowing look with Isabeau.

Madison nods, "Where would I go?"

"Somewhere far away maybe. We'll try to find the closet pack that we can." Gabriella explains.

"No…" Madison trails off and Gabriella nods, taking the gun with a shaking hand and trembling lips.

Madison places her hand on top of Gabriella's, "I want you. I don't wanna die." A tear falls down her face, "I don't. But I also don't want to be with some random people that I don't trust. If I'm going to be part of a pack to control it… I want it to be with you."

Gabriella's breath hitches, "I-I don't have a pack. I'm not strong enough."

Madison smiles sadly, "Then we'll make one. Until we find a way, help me. Save me, Gabriella."

Isabeau smiles softly at Gabriella and Madison. She gently grabs the boys jackets who are watching on with soft eyes, "Come on, what's going to happen next… it's a little personal." She whispers to them.

Gabriella and Isabeau share one more look before she and her boyfriends leave. Isabeau sends her an encouraging nod.

The three leave, closing the door behind them, leaving Madison and Gabriella alone.

Gabriella looks back down at the gun, "Are you sure? You want this with me?"

Madison's lips tremble and she nods, "As long as I'm with you. I know you can do this. Even if I wasn't a werewolf… I want this, I want us."

Gabriella presses her forehead to Madison's and drops the gun to the ground, "I'm going to have to bite you. It'll not only help me, but it will help you."

Madison nods as best as she can, "Do what you need to do."

She brushes back Madison's hair on her neck and leans down, her lips lightly kissing the skin, "I love you." For the first time in years, she said those three words, afraid she would never say them again.

Madison closes her eyes, "I love you."

Gabriella's eyes turn yellow and her fangs descend. With a growl, her teeth latch onto Madison's skin and Madison screams out as the teeth sink into her.

* * *

Isabeau leans against the impala, Sam and Dean sitting on either side of her, all of them waiting outside of Madison's apartment.

"You think they'll be okay?" Sam asks Isabeau.

Isabeau smiles to herself, "I think so. Gabriella… She deserves this. She deserves love."

Her smile widens as Gabriella steps out of the apartment with Madison by her side. Madison had her shoulder patched up where Gabriella bit her, "And Madison deserves a chance."

Dean looks down at Isabeau and places a soft kiss on her temple. Isabeau closes her eyes, enjoying the gesture.

Gabriella and Madison walk up to them, "Ready?" Gabriella asks.

Isabeau nods, standing up from the impala with Sam and Dean, "Gonna head home?"

Gabriella smiles, "Gonna introduce Madison to the others. Help her get situated. But, just gotta pick up my stuff and then I'm gonna head back here to help Madison pack."

Madison smiles at them, "Thank you, again."

Sam smiles, "No problem."

Dean shrugs, "Hey, it's what we do."

Isabeau chuckles, "I will say, it's gonna get confusing with having two Madison's around."

Gabriella agrees, "Well, we'll just have to call our little succubi, Maddie all the time now."

Madison raises a brow, "Succubi? What other creatures are in your guys coven?" Madison asks them.

The two witches share a smile, "Many creatures… can't wait till you explain everything else." Isabeau says with a cheeky smile.

Gabriella mockingly glares at her, punching her arm lightly, "In due time."

Isabeau shakes her head and smiles at Madison, "Welcome to the family, Madison."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saved Madison! I'm sorry but like I hate that they killed her off. She deserved so much better. I feel like that's going to be me throughout the series and just saving characters that 100 percent deserved better. Plus, it wouldn't fit Isabeau's morals if she just let Madison die and let her give up. So, expect to see Madison sometime in the future since she's now with Gabriella, our resident werewolf hybrid.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	38. Hollywood Babylon Pt.1

Sam, Isabeau, and Dean are taking part in the trolley tour of the studio, passing by movie and television sets.

Isabeau giggles as she takes a bite of her ice cream with Eugene, "Think we'll be able to meet any voice actors for Yu-Gi-Oh!?" She asks her younger brother. Eugene was a big fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and it was one of the shows that the Warner Brothers studios produced.

Since they were in L.A., Isabeau, Sam, and Dean decided to stop back at her home for a quick visit before they had to set off for a hunt. Of course, with her brothers getting older and now the ages, 15, 13, and 11, they were starting to go on hunts with their parents and said they wanted to tag along with them.

At first, Isabeau was against it, but then she realized that she started going on hunts with her parents when she was much younger than them. She gave in and let her brothers tag along with the agreement that they would mostly let her, Sam, and Dean takes care of the hunt.

Her brothers agreed, but she knew that they also would try to be part of the hunt as much as they could.

Eugene smiles up at her sister, finishing the last bite of his ice cream, "I hope so! That'd be so cool!"

"Maybe we can see Scooby-Doo too!" Dion exclaims excitedly. Dion was sitting on the other side of Eugene, sitting between him and Sam.

Sam chuckles, ruffling Dion's hair, "Maybe kiddo."

"First opened in 1927, the lot has been in continuous operation for eight decades." The tour guide says on the P.A.

Dean turns to Alphonse who was sitting next to him, "This is where they filmed "Creepshow", Alphonse!"

Alphonse grins excitedly, "Nice! Think we can sneak in and find some props?" Alphonse was a lover of horror movies just like Dean, so the two of them always bonded over horror.

Dean chuckles, "We sure can try."

Isabeau looks over her shoulder at them, "Boys, behave." She scolds with a smile. Even though Alphonse was 15 and an inch shorter than she was, he never acted like other teenagers his age. All the other boys his age were thinking about getting girlfriends or excited for whatever game was happening at the school that weekend.

Alphonse was the kid that stayed behind in the classroom to work on his work, working with his teachers to further his knowledge in chemistry, and also looking at how he can combine the ideas of chemistry into potion-making.

Not to mention he was killing it in his french class; then again their mother did teach them since they could speak to learn french, so all of them were fluent. But, Alphonse was continuing on with his foreign languages, learning with the help of their Uncle C.

She turns back around and looks over at her other brothers. Both of them were growing as well, not too far behind their older brother in height.

Eugene was now part of his robotics team in middle school and is planning on carrying it out in high school. He's trying to find a high school that has engineering to go to next year. There was no doubt in her mind that he was going to one day take over Bobby's salvage yard. Plus, he's also planning on taking a couple of art classes.

And Dion, even though he was in his first year of middle school, he was already trying to find a way to take upperclassmen classes that interested him. So far, biology was his strongest subject, and was wholeheartedly taking up the violin in his school band. Too bad there wasn't home economics class in middle school; he would just have to wait till high school.

Isabeau frowns a little; her baby brothers were growing up so fast. Is this how her parents felt when she was growing up and started doing things on her own?

"Now, to the right, here is Stars Hollow. It's the setting for the television series, Gilmore Girls. And if we're lucky, we might even catch one of the show's stars." The tour guide informs.

Isabeau snorts as she and Dean exchange a look; they both always made a joke that Sam looked like the guy who played a character named 'Dean' on Gilmore Girls. They do say that you have a doppelganger out in the world somewhere. Or that there are a good handful of people that you look alike.

Sam, looking uncomfortable, turns to Dean, who gives him a thumbs up. Isabeau chuckles; plus both her and Dean have found Sam watching it a few times here and there.

"Come on." Sam says, hoping off the trolley.

"Let's finish the tour!" Dean exclaims, not getting up from his seat.

Isabeau shakes her head, finishes her ice cream and steps off the trolley, "Come on, boys." She calls her brothers. Eugene and Dion immediately follow her, each taking one of her hands as they all walk with Sam.

Sam gestures for Dean and Alphonse to follow them, "Dean! Alphonse!"

Alphonse pouts a little, upset that they couldn't finish the tour. He then reminded himself that he was on a hunt, being the second oldest meant taking responsibility. With that in mind, he steps off and jogs up to his sister and brothers.

Dean hops off as well, and they continue walking around the lot.

The three brothers stick close to their older sister, taking in their surroundings. They were excited; it was the first hunt that they've gone on without their parents. They knew that their big sister went on hunts by herself when she was only 11, so being able to branch away from their parents was amazing.

Alphonse especially keeps a watchful eye on his younger brothers. Even though he wasn't the oldest, he still had to look out for his brothers. He felt like he needed to live up to the same level of his sister. Being the strongest and taking care of everyone.

"Guys, check it out, it's Matt Damon!" Dean says excitedly, pointing to a random man off to the side.

Sam glances over and chuckles, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not Matt Damon."

"No, it is." Dean says, certain.

Isabeau cracks a smile, "Well, Matt Damon just picked up a broom and started sweeping."

Dean nudges her playfully, "Yeah, well, he's probably researching a role or something."

Isabeau looks over at her brothers and they all are thinking the same thing, 'Yeah, right.' The siblings smile at each other. With Isabeau being away for so long, it felt good for all of them to be together again. Especially ever since Isabeau's death and coming back to life experience, they only got to spend a little time with each other.

Sam shakes his head, "Ahhh, I don't think so." He notices a sign, "Hey, this way, uh, I think Stage 9 is over here."

"Come on, man, let's keep going this way." Dean points ahead of them which leads deeper into the sets and soundstages.

"No, come on, we've gotta work." Sam reminds him as the six of them round a corner.

"Golly. Dean groans.

"Dearie, you wanted to come to LA." Isabeau says, still holding hands with Eugene while Alphonse and Dion hold hands.

"Yeah, for a vacation!" Dean exclaims, "I mean, swimming pools and movie stars! Spending time with the family for a week. Not to work."

Isabeau smiles to herself, happy to hear that Dean thinks as her family as his own. They always have been, always will be.

"This seem like swimming pool weather to you, De? I mean, it's practically Canadian." Alphonse says, "It's not even nice enough to go swimming in the lake."

Dean shrugs, "Yeah. I just figured that, you know, after everything that happened with… Isabeau. I figured we could all use a little R&R."

Isabeau sighs. Dean was talking about everything that was happening with her memories resurfacing and Isabeau's continuous research on the whole 'Mother' thing.

"Well, maybe I wanna work, Dean. Maybe it keeps my mind off things." Isabeau says. Now that wasn't true.

Even Sam gives her a look, knowing that she was lying. Work or no work, Isabeau would still be looking for answers.

Dean sighs, not believing her, but goes along with it for the time being, "Okay, okay, all right. So, this crew guy - what did he, he died on set?"

Eugene nods, "Yeah, uh, rumors spreading like wildfire online. They're saying the set's haunted." Eugene informs. He and his brothers did some research before coming to the studios.

"Like "Poltergeist"?" Dean asks.

Sam purses his lips, "Could be a poltergeist."

Dean shakes his head, "No, no, no. Like, the movie "Poltergeist"."

Sam just shrugs.

"You know nothing of your cultural heritage, do you?" Dean scoffs, "It was rumored that the set of "Poltergeist" was cursed. That they used real human bones as, uh, as props. And, like, at least three of the actors died in it."

"Well, yeah, it might be something like that." Sam says, agreeing with Dean's idea.

"All right, so this crew guy - what's his name?" Dean asks.

"Frank Jaffey." Dion simply states. He was more quiet than his brothers when it came to hunting but was slowly coming out of his little shell.

Dean glances down at Dion, "Frank Jaffey - he got a death certificate or a coroner's report or anything?"

Dion shrugs, "Well, no. But, uh, it's LA, you know?" Dion says, "It might not even be his real name."

"But the girl who found him, she said she saw something - a vanishing figure." Alphonse continues for his younger brother.

Dean stares at Isabeau's younger brothers for a second, "What's the girl's name?" It was weird having kids on a hunt with them. Dean knew that the siblings could take care of themselves, but he was sort of brought back to his own childhood when he and Sam had to hunt as kids.

Granted, Isabeau and brothers were brought up in an entirely different way of hunting with a loving family. Not to say that John didn't love his sons, no he did, but he was just too far gone. Isabeau's family was the only semblance of a loving family household that he and Sam got to experience. And it was wonderful.

"Uh, Tara Benchley?" Sam recalls.

Dean grins with fannish enthusiasm, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Tara Benchley?" Dean stops them all in their tracks. "From "Fear dot Com" and "Ghost Ship", Tara Benchley? Dude, why didn't you say so?" He asks.

Isabeau lets go of Eugene's hand and crosses her arms, "So now, you're suddenly on board?" She asks sickeningly sweet, narrowing her eyes at her oldest boyfriend.

Dean turns around, stuttering, realizing his slip up, "I-I, Beau…"

Isabeau raises a brow as her brothers snicker at Dean. Sam even tries to hold back a chuckle as Isabeau waits for an excuse.

Isabeau herself was finding the situation fucking hilarious. She honestly didn't give shit that he had a fanboy crush on Tara Benchley, I mean, she'd be lying if she didn't find the actress attractive and she herself had fangirl moments. And she knew that Dean would never actually do anything, so just wanted to fuck with him for a little bit.

Isabeau hums as Dean tries to defend himself, "I see. Well, I guess we better get a move on then." She says, walking away from the group.

Isabeau's brothers break out into laughter and start following their sister. "Oh, dude, you are in the dog house." Alphonse jokes. Eugen and Dion laugh at their brother's words and catch up with their sister.

Sam snorts, "They're not wrong." He also knew that Isabeau was just playing around with Dean.

Dean glares at his younger brother in warning, "Shut up." He walks away and Sam follows with a faint smile.

* * *

One of the studio execs for the movie, Brad Redding, is talking to McG and the producer, Jay Wiley, "No, look, don't get me wrong. Everyone at the studio loves the dailies, myself included. We were just wondering if it could be... you know, a little brighter?"

"Brighter?" Jay asks.

Brad nods, "Yeah, Jay. More color."

Jay nods in understanding.

"McG, you know what I'm saying, you're the master of that stuff." Brad says to McG.

"Brad, this is a horror movie." McG reminds him.

"Yeah, and who says horror has to be dark, you know? It's just, it's sort of... depressing, don't you think?" Brad asks.

Brad looks over and notices Sam, Dean, Isabeau and her brothers, entering the set, "Uh, excuse me, Green Shirt Guy?"

Dean points to himself quizzically.

"Yeah, you. Come here." Brad commands.

Dean exchanges a look with Sam and Isabeau, and walks to Brad. "Can you get me a smoothie from Kraft?" Brad asks him.

Isabeau's eyes widen and she holds back a laugh.

"You want a what from who?" Dean asks, confused.

Brad scoffs, "You are a P.A.? This is what you do?"

Sam and the others quickly walk over to "save" Dean. "Yeah, yeah... he uh ... One smoothie coming right up." Sam confirms.

They're about to walk away but Brad stops them, more specifically, Isabeau, "Excuse me, sweetheart."

Isabeau blinks at the nickname and turns around with a raised brow in confusion, "Yes?" She could see Dean and Sam sending Brad threatening looks at what he called Isabeau.

"You a P.A., too?" Brad asks, curious, looking at Isabeau, his eyes racking her body.

Isabeau mentally groans in disgust at Brad, men like him were gross. She nods, putting on a fake smile, "Yes, sir."

Brad then notices her three brothers standing by her side, "And these three are?"

"These are my brothers. I brought them here for a program that's part of their school. It had to do with experience careers when they graduate school. Never can start too soon you know?" Isabeau effortlessly lies to Brad, putting on the fakest smile she's ever had.

Brad hums, buying her lie, "A shame you're just a P.A. You'd look amazing on film." He flirts with her.

Isabeau's eyes widen a little, "That's very kind of you, but I'm camera shy. Now if you'll excuse me."

She walks away with the others, shivering in disgust, "Gross." Sam and Dean lose their threatening glares, trying to calm themselves down. If they weren't working, some colorful words would have been said to Brad.

Dean blinks, "What's a P.A.?"

"Slaves." Dion simply states, making Isabeau chuckle, completely forgetting about disgusting Brad for a moment.

They turn around as they're walking and Sam gives Brad a reassuring thumbs-up.

Brad scoffs at Sam and Dean, "They'll let anybody in this business, huh?"

* * *

Later, the cast and crew are getting ready to resume shooting. Dean is walking in with a tray of smoothies with Eugene following him.

Eugene was going along with his sister's lie and acting as a sort of shadow to Dean. He looks up at the scaffolding and narrows his eyes at it.

Dean looks around to make sure no one is watching them and sets down the tray of smoothies he had gotten. He lightly nudges Euegene, "Come on."

The two start to go up the stairs to the scaffolding. Suddenly, the lights on set go down, and the actors begin their take. Both Dean and Eugene freeze, looking around in confusion.

Once they realize filming has started, they both make their ways up the stairs. Dean pulls out two EMF meters; one for him and one for Eugene.

"Why don't we take it from, uh... "Come on, it'll be fun." And, action!" McG shouts out.

The actors are now standing inside the abandoned house, and "Wendy", played by Tara, has a book open in front of her, "Come on, it'll be fun." She says.

She begins reading from the book in very choppy Latin. While she is doing so, Dean and Eugene make their way up the scaffolding. Eugene furrows his brow as he hears Tara reading. He wasn't a witch like his brothers, but his Nanna still made him learn latin, and that sounded like real latin. Very bad latin, but still latin.

Dean doesn't notice and moves his EMF meter around the area, getting nothing.

Meanwhile, Tara is trying her best to read the Latin, but is barely getting through it.

"Maybe we'll finish this up tomorrow." McG says off-screen.

Tara breaks character, "Oh my God, I hate you so much right now." She chuckles.

"Cut!" McG shouts and the cast and crew all begin laughing, "Very nice."

* * *

A few minutes later, Sam, Isabeau, Alphonse and Dion join Dean and Eugene at the kraft services table. "So?" Sam asks.

Dean raises his hands, "No EMF anywhere."

"I think I heard some latin while they were filming." Eugen recalls.

Isabeau crosses her arms, "Latin? Like, real latin?"

Eugene frowns, "I think so. I don't know. I couldn't tell cause Tara was horrible at reading it correctly."

Alphonse shrugs, "It was probably fake anyways."

Dion nods, "Yeah, usually some movie writers don't even take the time to actually do research on these things."

Sam sighs, taking in what they said, "Great. So, what do you think?"

"Well, I think being a P.A. sucks. But... the food these people get, are you kidding me? I mean look at these things." Dean picks up a tiny sandwich, "They're like miniature Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. They're delicious."

He holds one of them out to Sam, "Maybe later."

Dean shrugs and holds it out to the boys instead. Isabeau notices her little brothers staring at the food hungrily. They really only had the ice cream before they came here and haven't eaten anything else.

Isabeau smiles gently, encouraging her brothers, "Go on, you guys haven't eaten any real food all day. Enjoy yourselves."

With their sisters encouragement, they each pick out food from the table, Alphonse appreciatively taking the sandwich from Dean. Dean smiles at the kids. That's what was different. Isabeau let her brothers have a little bit of fun and leeway on hunts. She knew that they were still kids and didn't have to have their minds on the hunt the entire time.

Isabeau goes to Dean's side and places a light kiss on his lips, "You too, Dearie."

Dean smiles at her, "I am forgiven?"

Isabeau chuckles, "I was just playing with you. You can fanboy all you like, enjoy yourself."

Dean grins, placing an arm around her waist as he picks up another sandwich, taking a huge bit out of it, "What'd you guys find out about the dead crew guy?"

Sam has trouble taking his eyes off of Dean's devouring of the sandwich. Isabeau shakes her head at him, she's going to have to help him wind down and enjoy himself when they go back home for the week.

Sam clears his throat, "Uh... Frank Jaffey was just filling in for the day. Nobody here knew him or where he lived or anything."

"Oh, great. So you found out about as much as we did." Dean says gesturing to Eugene who was happily munching on popcorn.

"No, not quite. I–"

Walter approaches, "Hey, guys."

"Oh, hey." Dean greets.

"Sorry." Walter apologizes as he leans in between them to pick up a sandwich.

"That's all right." Isabeau reassures.

They watch Walter walk away with a sandwich. "They're wonderful!" Dean says, continuing to eat his sandwich.

"Listen, we did dig up some stuff about Stage 9's history." Sam tells him.

"Yeah?"

Isabeau nods, shoving her free hand in her pocket, "Yeah, four people died messy here over the past eighty years. Two suicides and two fatal accidents."

"Any one of those could be a vengeful spirit." Dion comments, coming up to the other side of Isabeau, chewing on some fried chicken he found.

Sam chuckles, "Yeah. We've just gotta narrow it down more." The three boys impressed Sam. Each one of them found a way to lend a hand in the hunt while respecting Isabeau's wishes of letting the adults take the lead.

Isabeau smiles as she notices Tara walk onto set and she nudges Dean, "Hey, fanboy, look who it is." She jokes.

Dean swallows down the rest of his sandwich and nervously looks at Isabeau, "Isabeau, I mean nothing by it."

Isabeau giggles, "Dean, seriously, it's okay. I know that you have no intention of doing anything with her. I mean hey, if I met my…" She glances over at her brothers, choosing her words carefully, "Favorite adult movie actress, I'd be weak in the knees."

Dean smirks a little knowing what she was implying, "Well, then care to join me? You can keep my mind on something else so I don't act ridiculous."

Isabeau smirks back, "Gladly." Before she walks over to Tara with Dean, she places a soft kiss on Sam's lips, "Be good."

Sam chuckles, kissing back, "Just don't let my brother act like a complete idiot."

Isabeau nods, taking Dean's hand in hers and both walk towards Tara.

Sam watches them go as he states with the three brothers.

"Sammy?"

Sam turns to look at Dion who has his head tilted at him, "Yeah, Dion?"

"What's an adult movie?" Dion asks, curious.

Alphonse and Eugene snicker at Sam's widened eyes. Both brothers were teenagers so they knew what their sister meant by 'adult movie'. Though, they'll let her live in blissful ignorance until they're much older.

Sam fidgets in his spot, not knowing how to answer that question. He didn't think he would ever have to answer that and if he ever did, he thought it would with his own kids if he and Isabeau chose to have any.

Dean and Isabeau walk over to Tara. Isabeau grabs a call sheet from one of the set workers as they walk by. Nervously, Dean holds Isabeau's hand as they walk up to Tara.

Isabeau smiles fondly at him, knowing that he was nervous and squeezes his hand. She hands him that call sheet, encouraging him to talk to one of his favorite actresses. Dean takes it and holds it out to Tara, "Are you supposed to get one of these?"

Tara looks up at them and smiles, noticing not just Dean's, but Isabeau's good looks. She then notices their held hands and smiles a little more. Two beautiful people standing right in front of her, what a lucky girl she was.

Dean smiles nervously, "I–I don't really know what I'm doing."

Tara smiles at them, "First day?"

Isabeau chuckles, "Yeah. Our big break." The two women laugh.

Isabeau squeezes Dean's hand. Dean chuckles, "You know, I know it's... really uncool to say this, but I–I'm a big fan. I loved you in Boogeyman." Dean squeezes Isabeau's hand back.

"Oh, God, what a terrible script. But thank you." Tara says, thanking him.

"Yeah." Dean nods.

After a moment, Isabeau speaks up, "You found him, right? The... the dead guy?"

Tara goes quiet and looks away.

Isabeau frowns a little, "I'm sorry, you probably don't even wanna talk about this."

"No, no, actually. It's – it's okay. Nobody around here really brings it up very much." Tara whispers, "I think they're all scared I'm gonna have some kind of breakdown."

Dean nods, "That must have been awful. What happened?"

Tara agrees, "It was horrible. There – there was all this blood coming from his eyes and from his mouth. And, uh... I saw this, um…" She stops, embarrassed.

"What?" Isabeau asks.

Tara looks back at them, "I saw this shape. To tell you the truth, I–I don't know actually, what I saw. I just know I saw it."

Walter approaches handing her a Snapple, "Here you go, Tara."

"Thanks, Walter." Tara thanks him and he walks away.

"Uh – so, this, this crew guy, Frank, did you know him?" Dean asks.

Tara shakes her head, "No, not that well."

"It's funny, it's like no one around here actually knew the guy." Dean points out.

"I've got his picture."

Isabeau tilts her head, "You do?"

Tara smiles at her, "Yeah. I take Polaroids of all the crew. It's just one of those things you do to kill time on set."

She flips through a binder until she finds his picture, "Um... um... right there."

Isabeau and Dean look at it closely and notice something. "Son of a bitch." Dean whispers out.

* * *

There is a knock on the door and a man opens it to see Sam, Dean, Isabeau and her brothers outside.

"Gerard St. James?" Dean asks.

The man, who looks exactly like Frank, nods, "Yes."

"You're still alive. And you're not Frank Jaffey." Sam says.

"Uh, no?" Gerad says.

Dean smiles, "You were Desert Soldier Number Four in Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn?"

Gerard nods, "I was."

"I knew I recognized you. I am a huge fan." Dean laughs, "I mean, your turn as a tractor crash victim in Critters 3—"

Gerard smiles, pointing at Dean, "Critters 3!" Alphonse smiles at the mention of Critters. He truly loved his horror.

"Wow. Yeah." Dean laughs along with Gerard.

"Well, please, come in." Gerard gestures for them to come inside his house.

They enter the house while Gerard brings Sam and Dean coffee. Isabeau and her brothers thanked him for the offer of the same drink, but declined respectfully. There are pictures lining the walls of Gerard, merely an actor, portraying various characters.

"Yeah, it was the producers. They brought me up for the day to play Frank." Gerard says, handing Dean his cup.

"Just to fake your death?" Dean takes the coffee from his spot on the couch.

Gerard walks to one of the lounge chairs in the living room as Sam, Isabeau and her brothers find empty spaces to sit. "Well, rumors of a haunted film set, free publicity, especially when you're making a horror movie. I mean, uh, it's already all over the Internet." Gerard says.

Isabeau gives a faint smile, "Yeah. We know."

Gerard chuckles, "These days, it's all about new media, building buzz. They say I'm the new "lonelygirl"."

Alphonse shares a confused look with his brothers, "Who?"

"And the ghost Tara saw?" Sam asks.

"Projected on a screen of diffusion." Gerard explains.

"Isn't that kind of cruel? Messing with their heads like that?" Dean asks.

"Hey, I just play the part. I don't write the script." Gerard shakes his head, "Speaking of, I'm playing Willy in a, in a dinner theater production of Salesman at Costa Mesa, all next month."

He hands Dean a flyer, "You get a free pepper steak with the coupon."

Isabeau laughs, "Now, wait a second. If you're, if you're seen in public, won't that ruin the hoax?"

Gerard scoffs, "Oh, please." He turns to Sam, "Frank and Willy? Totally different characters."

Sam nods, "You know what? Thanks very much, Mr. St. James. It was just nagging at us, you know? But we're – we're very glad ... you know, you're alive and well." He says, placing down his coffee, signaling for everyone that it was time to leave.

Everyone stands up from their spots, each one of them shaking hands with Gerard.

Dean shakes his hand last, "Absolutely. Hey, I wanted to ask you... what was it like working with Richard Moll?" He asks.

Sam and Isabeau look over at him, confused. Isabeau was more of a 80's fantasy movie person, not much what Dean was into.

Eugene notices their confused looks and explains, "Metalstorm. He was Hurok, King of the Cyclops people." Eugene was the science fiction buff.

Dean and Eugene share a quick fist pump. Isabeau couldn't help but smile at the exchange.

Gerard shakes his head at Dean, "Gentlemen's gentleman."

"Yeah?" Dean chuckles, brandishing the theatre coupon, "All right. Pepper steak."

* * *

_**The Next Morning** _

The actors are filming once again, where they had left off the previous day. Tara's character, "Wendy", enters the abandoned house.

"Wendy?" Mitch comes in with his flashlight.

Tara gasps, "Oh, Mitch! God, you're alive!" She runs over and hugs him.

Mitch returns the hug, "You can't get rid of me that easy."

"Rumble, rumble, rumble!" McG shouts from off camera.

The set rumbles and Tara takes a hold of the situation, "Salt. Okay, we need salt. I read in that book that it keeps ghosts away."

"Kendra, Logan, you guys check the back." Mitch demands the other actors.

Off-camera, Marty begins whispering to the producer, Jay, "Jay, the poor bastard killed himself. Like, for real. Shouldn't we shut it down or something?"

"We had a moment of silence for him at breakfast. He was just a studio guy." Jay shakes his head.

McG glances over his shoulder to them, "Shh!"

"I love you." Tara says to Mitch.

"I know." Mitch says, shining his flashlight directly in her face. He notices, breaking character, "Sorry."

Tara breaks character and sighs, "Can we – can we cut or something?"

"Um... uh, yeah, cut. Cut!" McG says,taking off his headset.

Dean, off to the side is wearing a headset and shouts loudly, to the crew, "That's a cut!" The bell rings and he resumes eating his taquito.

Isabeau comes up to his side, smiling at the headset on Dean's head, "You're enjoying this too much."

"Only I can say cut." McG tells the crew.

McG approaches Tara, "Hey, what's up?"

Tara shakes her head, "I'm sorry. I'm just a little upset."

McG nods, "Well, with everything that's been going on around here, who can blame ya, huh?"

"I, I I just can't wrap my head around the dialog, you know? Salt? Doesn't that sound silly? I mean, why would a ghost be afraid of salt?" Tara asks with a smile.

Isabeau bits her lip, letting out a snort. Dean smirks and then offers up a taquito to Isabeau. He knew that she hadn't eaten much since yesterday and wanted her to at least have something.

Isabeau purses her lips, contemplating to take it or not. She shrugs, leaning over to take a bit of the taquito and humming out in happiness at the food. She was so focused on taking care of her brothers that she sort of forgot to eat.

Dean smiles, taking a bite from the same taquito, switching it back and forth between them to share.

McG turns to the crew, "Okay, um... Marty?"

"Yo." Marty calls out.

"What do you think?" McG asks.

"Not married to salt, what do you want? We still sticking with condiments?" Marty asks.

"It just sounds different, not better. What else would a ghost be scared of?" McG crosses his arms thinking.

Isabeau raises a brow at all of them, taking a bit of the taquito Dean put out for her. She never understood movie people, part of the reason why she only ever did drama for one year in highschool.

Walter is standing a little bit away from Dean and Isabeau, "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." He groans.

Marty turns to Jay, "What would a ghost be scared of? Maybe, uh, maybe shotguns."

"Okay, that makes even less sense than salt." McG says.

Irritated, Walter sighs, "These people are idiots." He leaves in annoyance.

Sam, Alphonse, Eugen and Dion all approach Dean and Isabeau. Isabeau smiles, swallowing the rest of her food as they stop next to them, "Walter's a little testy for a P.A., huh?"

"How's it going in here?" Sam asks, placing a kiss on Isabeau's temple.

"It is going really good, man. Tara's really stepped up her performance. I think it's probably from all the sense memory stuff she's drawing on." Dean fanboys even more.

Isabeau and him had a talk about it last night; fanboy and fangirl over any actors they wanted to because there's no harm in it. They loved each other and they were faithful, loyal to one another.

"Sense memory?" Sam asks.

"Yeah." Dean confirms.

Sam shakes his head, "Dean, you, you know when I ask how it's going in here, I'm talking about the case, right? We don't really work here. You know, I thought you hated being a P.A."

Dean shuffles his feet, looking down at the equipment, "I don't know. It's not so bad. I kind of feel like part of the team, you know? It's good –" He holds out his plate, "Oh, taquito? They're wonderful."

"No. Umm.. Listen, we conned our way into the morgue." Sam tells them.

Isabeau tilts her head at Sam and her brothers, "And?"

"News reports were right: Brad's a doornail, no question." Dion says. Isabeau smiles at him, impressed.

"Copy that." Dean says into his headset. He turns to Dion, "I'm sorry, what, kiddo?"

"'Copy that'?" Sam questions.

"What did you say?" Dean asks Dion again, ignoring Sam.

Eugene sighs, repeating his brother, "The news reports were right. Brad's a doornail-"

"They are aware." Dean says again into his headset.

"Who's aware?" Sam asks, a little agitated that Dean wasn't listening to the boys.

Dean grimaces, sending the boys apologetic looks, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" HE asks sincerely.

Alphonse nods, being the final one to repeat his siblings, "Uh, uh... uh. The newspaper's right: Brad's a doornail, no question about it."

Dean nods, "I guess it's a good thing we didn't skip town."

Sam agrees, "Yeah."

"Oh, come here. I want you guys to hear something." Dean says and then speaks into his headset, "Copy that. On my way."

He leads Sam, Isabeau and her brothers over to the sound guy, Dave, "Hey, Dave. Can you play him that thing you were playing me earlier?" Dean asks.

Dave nods, "Sure." He hands two pairs of headphones to Sam and Isabeau.

"Thanks." Isabeau says as she and Sam put them on.

Isabeau and Sam listen to the audio of one of the scenes in the movie. " _Doesn't matter. We're not leaving til we find Wendy and your sister."_

Midway through the dialogue, the sound becomes static and distorted. Sam and Isabeau exchange a look with Dean.


	39. Hollywood Babylon Pt.2

Later, the six of them are walking backstage. "EVP." Eugene says. All three brothers got to hear the recordings.

"From the night of Brad's stage dive. All of a sudden, you're getting electromagnetic readings up the wazoo. For some reason, it's a legit haunting now." Isabeau shoves one of her hands in her jean pocket as the other swings around the rosary.

"Well, who's the ghost, guys? What's it want?" Sam asks aloud.

Dean glances back at him, "I don't know. I think we should take a look at Brad's death scene."

* * *

Outside in the lot, Dean leads the others to one of the trailers. Once inside, Dean pops a DVD into the television as everyone else finds a place to sit around the TV.

Isabeau takes a seat on the small coffee table across from the TV, "Hey, where'd you get this DVD?"

Dean takes a seat next to her, "They're called dailies. I got it from Cindy. She's kind of got this on-and-off thing going with Drew. He dubbed me an extra copy." He takes off his headset.

They watch the footage of the scene, complete with Brad's surprise entrance. "All right, here's where the guy fell through the roof." Dean points out.

"Right." Sam agrees.

Dean rewinds the DVD, "All right, here we go."

"They must have super-hearing." Mitch says from the tape.

Suddenly, Brad falls through the ceiling of the set, hanging by a noose. "Hey, wait, go back, go back." Sam points at the TV, commanding Dean.

Dean rewinds the tape again.

"Right after. Right aft- yeah right. Wait. There." Sam demands.

Dean pauses the frame. On the screen, we see a completely different set and standing in the far corner of the set, is the ghostly white woman who led Brad to his death.

"It's like "Three Men and a Baby" all over again." Dean says.

Sam looks at him, confused.

"Selleck, Danson, and Guttenberg. And... I don't know who played the baby." Dean trails off.

"Lisa and Michelle Blair… they always try to get twins to play baby roles." Alphonse informs them.

Sam nods and then turns to Dean, "What's your point?"

"There's a scene in the movie where people say that the, the camera caught a ghost on film. Apparently, in the background of one of the scenes, there was this boy that nobody remembers from set. Spirit photography." Dean explains.

Isabeau tilts her head at the woman, "I've seen her before."

* * *

Behind the movie set, Dean has his headset in place and is sitting with Sam, Isabeau and the boys at a table. Isabeau hands him a print-out of an article, "Here. Check this out."

Dean smiles as he speaks into his headset, "Yeah, go for Ozzy… No, I don't have a 20 on Tara, I think she's 10-100... Okay, copy that."

Isabeau blinks and waves her hand, making Dean's headset fly into it. She sets it down and gives him a look.

Isabeau's brothers chuckle at their sisters actions.

Dean swallows, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Isabeau narrows her yes, "You're not off the hook yet." She hands him the print-out, "Elise Drummond – starlet back in the thirties. Had an affair with a studio exec. He uses her up, fires her, leaves her destitute, so Elise hangs herself from Stage 9's rafters, right into a scene they're shooting."

"Just like our man, Brad. So, what, she's got it in for the studio brass?" Dean asks.

Sam shrugs, placing his hand on Isabeau's thigh, "Possibly. I mean, it's a motive. And Brad's death matches hers exactly."

"We're digging tonight, aren't we?" Dean asks.

"Yes!" Alphonse, Eugene and Dion exclaim excitedly, the three of them somehow making a three-way high-five actually work.

Isabeau chuckles, "And I thought I was the weird one."

* * *

Later, the crew is cleaning up for the day. "That's a wrap, people! 6:00 AM call for crew tomorrow!" A set worker shouts out.

"Great work, everybody! McG, you're a genius." Jay says and shakes McG's hand, "You're kicking ass and taking names."

McG nods and starts to walk away, "Night, Jay."

* * *

Sam, Dean, Isabeau and the boys are walking through the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Sam and Dean with shovels in hand.

"Which way?" Sam asks.

Isabeau reads a map, "Uh... over here." She points to a distance away from them and they walk a little further.

"Hey." Dean calls out.

Sam turns to look at him, "Yeah?"

Dean gestures to a memorial for Humpty Dumpty and looks over Isabeau's shoulder to look at the map, "This map is totally worth the five bucks! Hey, we've gotta go check out Johnny Ramone's grave when we're done here."

"You wanna dig him up, too?" Eugene asks, handling a ball of fire in his hands as he walks with his brothers.

"Bite your tongue, heathen!" Isabeau scolds playfully, earning laughter from her brothers.

"Oh, that's cool." Dean comments as they pass by another memorial.

"You know, guys, what I don't get is why now? I mean, after seventy-five years, Elise Drummond suddenly goes homicidal, you know? Why this movie?" Sam asks.

"Well, maybe she's mad they're making a scary ghost flick." Dean says as they all search for Elise's headstone.

Isabeau furrows her brow, discarding the map and crouching down to the ground. Her fingers slide into the blade of grass and smiles when she hears voices greeting her happily.

Her brothers watch on in curiosity. None of them had the ability to talk to nature like their sister. Or even talk to insects and reptiles. They wondered where that part came from and why they didn't have the same ability.

Sam smiles, "Come on, is it really that scary?"

Isabeau stands up and walks in the direction that the grass told her to go. She stops when she stands in front of a headstone, "Here we go."

The others come up behind here. "Yep. All right." Sam says.

"Yahtzee." Dean says with a smile and they start digging.

* * *

Sam and Dean have finished digging.

Isabeau hops down into the grave with Dean, and opens the coffin to see Elise's corpse. She looks up at her brothers and points to the corpse, "Do you kids want to do the honors?"

Her brothers nod enthusiastically; Alphonse grabbing the salt and Dion grabbing the kerosene.

Isabeau and Dean climb out and the three adults let the boys finish the job. Alphonse and Dion pour their choices onto the corpse and Eugene takes the ball of fire he has in his hands and throws it onto the corpse, lighting it on fire.

Isabeau smiles, proud of her brothers, "Come here you, gremlins." She pulls them in for a sibling hug, all of them smiling.

Sam and Dean smile fondly at the four of them. They were a weird group of siblings, but they enjoyed hunting, making the best of it.

"Anyone got any marshmallows?" Dion asks, looking up at his sister.

Sam and Dean laugh as Isabeau ruffles his hair. Eugene and Alphonse smile at their little brother.

They were a weird bunch, that was for sure.

* * *

The six of them watch as the police examine the crime scene where Jay was killed. "Run-in with a giant fan. Same thing happened to an electrician back in '66, a guy named Billy Beard." Sam explains.

"What the hell, dude?" Dean asks.

Isabeau sighs, "I don't know. Doesn't seem like Elise this time, either. It's not her M.O." She only wished she could go over there, then she could use her powers to figure out what exactly happened.

Alphonse shoves his hands in his jacket pockets, "No, we already torched her. So, what, are we dealing with another ghost?"

Sam shrugs, "Maybe."

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, but these things don't usually tag-team."

* * *

Outside in the lot, McG is getting out of his car. He gathers the cast and crew, including Dean, Sam, Isabeau and the boys, "Everybody! Gather around, okay! I've got an announcement to make."

He hands his car keys to a P.A., "Hold that for me."

McG calls out, "Everyone! Huddle in! In light of Jay's accident last night, and in cooperation with the authorities, we're shutting down production for a few days."

Everyone around the six of them groans.

"I know, I know. Look, I'm not gonna lie to you. We've had a few setbacks this week. But we all know what Jay and Brad wanted more than anything. And that was to see Hell Hazers 2: The Reckoning on screens all across America!" McG shouts.

Isabeau leans into Sam, rubbing her temple with one hand. It amazed her how dumb humans can be at times.

Sam's hand slides underneath Isabeau's shirt and rubs the small of her back in small circles.

"Now, we owe it to them to go on, and to pull together and make this damn movie, huh?" McG asks with an encouraging smile.

There is cheers and applause from the crowd. The small group put on fake smiles, clapping along to go along with everyone else.

"But – but but but not today. Go home. Someone will call you." McG says and everyone breaks away.

* * *

Sam, Isabeau and Dion are back inside the trailer, watching more of the dailies. Sam is sitting on the couch with Isabeau curled into his side and his arm hooked around her waist. Dion is sitting next to Isabeau, playing absentmindedly with Isabeau's rosary that was attached to her wrist.

"Wendy" is reading in Latin when she is interrupted by "Kendra", "Wendy, don't."

Wendy laughs, "What are you, afraid of ghosts? Come on, it'll be fun."

Isabeau stares at the movie deadpan, genuinely not enjoying any part of this movie. And it looked like Sam and Dion were on the same page.

Dean, Alphonse and Eugene enter. Both Alphonse and Eugene jump onto the couch, joining their siblings and Sam.

"Hey." Dean greets. He can't help but smile a little when he sees all of them on the couch.

"Hey. So, you find out where the electrician's buried?" Sam asks.

Eugene shifts on the couch, "He wasn't. Billy Beard was cremated."

Sam glances over, "Great. Now what?"

Dean takes a water bottle out of the fridge and joins the rest of them, sitting on the arm of the couch, "No idea. Any more ghost cameos in the dailies?"

Isabeau sighs, resting her head on Sam's chest, "Not in the first six hours."

Sam rests his own head on top of hers, "You know, maybe the spirits are trying to shut down the movie 'cause they think it sucks. 'Cause, I mean, it kind of does."

Isabeau smiles a little at Sam's sass.

"Come on, it'll be fun." Wendy says and she continues reading in Latin. Isabeau suddenly notices something and takes the remote from Sam, rewinding the tape.

She sits up and listens closer to the Latin, "Listen to the invocation. Guys, that's the real deal – a necromantic summoning ritual." She pats Eugene, "You did hear Latin, bud. Terrible Latin, but still Latin. What the hell is that doing in a Hollywood movie?"

* * *

INT. MOVIE STUDIOS

Marty, the writer, is on the phone in his office, "No, dude, we're down for a few days - force majeure... Yeah. It's cool, though. Gives me time to pitch that time-travel thing... Yeah. All right, well look, get back to me on this, all right? Seriously... No, I'm serious... Dude, are you serious? 'Cause I'm serious."

He notices Sam, Isabeau, Dean and the boys at the door, "All right. Cool." He hangs up, "Guys, we're all shut down. What are you still doing here?"

"Yeah, um," Sam smiles, "...Sorry, man. We– we– we couldn't help ourselves. We just had to tell you that we read the script."

Marty smiles, "And?"

"Yeah." Sam nods, "It's – uh – it's awesome."

"Awesome." Dean smiles.

Isabeau forces a smile, "Really awesome." Her brothers go along with them, nodding in agreement.

Marty smiles at the flattery, "I know, it's pretty rockin', right? I'm glad you guys liked it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really liked, uh, all the attention to detail." Sam says.

Marty nods, leaning against his desk, "Dude, right on, that's my thing. I mean, you know, color me guilty, but that is me. I'm, I'm, I'm a total detail buff."

Isabeau smiles politely, "No, I can tell. I mean, the way you worked in all those, all those Enochian summoning rituals and all the authentic language."

Marty's smile fades, "What, you mean that Latin crap?" Isabeau and her brothers frown at his words. Latin wasn't crap.

Marty shakes his head, "No, man, that's Walter. Walter Dixon, the original writer. You like that garbage?"

"Wait, "Walter the P.A." Walter?" Dean asks.

Marty circles around his desk, taking a seat, "No, he's not a P.A. He's got a clause in his contract that allows him to come on set."

Isabeau narrows her eyes, "But he wrote the invocations?"

"He wrote a whack-job screenplay. There's no pace, there's no love interest, it's all wackadoo exposition. I had to cut, like, ninety percent of it to make it readable, the other ten percent to make it good." Marty explains with a smile.

The group forces out smiles once again at Marty.

* * *

Later, the six of them are reading Walter's screenplay, Lord of the Dead.

"Should've kept Walter's original script. It's actually pretty good." Dean says.

Isabeau flips through a couple of pages, "Yeah. And it reads like a how-to manual of conjuration, like a textbook on how to summon ghosts and get them to do whatever you want. Jesus, reminds me of college."

Dean turns and gives her a questioning glance. Even Sam raises a brow in curiosity.

Isabeau purses her lips, she glances over at her brothers, "Boys, cover your ears."

Her brothers follow her orders and she turns back to her boyfriends, "A group of my college friends got high one night and decided to raid my belongings, finding one of my grimoires. And let's just say it did look like a sleepover horror movies, but with less sex."

"No sexy pillow fights beforehand?" Dean grins.

Isabeau huffs out a laugh as Sam sends his brother a warning glare, "No, sorry. Sexy pillow fights are reserved for the coven. Though it wasn't the first time something supernatural happened in college."

"No? What else happened?" Sam asks.

Isabeau waves a dismissive hand at Sam, "I will say, ghosts, ghoulies and anything weird that could happen, happened. But, that's a conversation for another day."

She turns and gives a thumbs up to her brothers, and they uncover their ears, going back to the scripts in their hands.

Sam sets his script on the table, "So, let's say somewhere down the line, Walter learned some pretty black magic."

Dean turns to his brother, "Yeah. And let's say he's pissed at these people for wrecking his movie."

Isabeau snaps, "Motive and means."

"It's worth checking out." Dean declares.

* * *

Marty is walking among the forest scenery and spots Walter, "So, you wanted to meet?" Walter doesn't respond. "Hey, I'm a little busy here, buddy. I'm working on a script." Marty says.

"Oh, yeah. You guys worked on it a lot." Walter says bitterly.

Marty nods, "It needed work. Now, why couldn't we have done this in my office?"

"You know, the history, the lore in my draft was completely accurate. We could've gotten it right for the first time ever in this whorehouse of a town. But, you tore it to shreds. You replaced it with cleavage and fart jokes." Walter sighs, "It was real."

"Who gives a rat's ass about "real"? We're talking about ghosts here, Walter. There's no such thing." Marty says.

Walter steps forward, "That's where you're wrong, Martin."

He raises his hand, holding a talisman, and begins chanting in Latin.

Marty rolls his eyes, "Okay, nutjob. End of meeting." He turns around and comes face-to-face with the same ghost that killed Jay and he screams.

* * *

The fans turn on and Marty is on the ground, being dragged by the ghost towards the fans, "Oh, God, no! Please, no!"

"You ruined it, Martin! Everything I worked for!" Walter shouts.

"Oh, oh, oh. Oh, God! Walter!"

Walter smiles, "Now you're gonna find out what being a ghost is really like."

Marty looks back, begging, "Walter, please! Walter, help me! Heeeeeee–"

Just as he is inches away from the fan, a shotgun goes off, blasting the ghost away. Dean approaches, weapon in hand, while Sam turns off the fan. Isabeau walks behind him, her eyes glowing violet. She told her brothers to stay out of the way for the time being.

Marty looks at Dean in relief, "You are one hell of a P.A."

"Yeah, I know." Dean lends Marty a hand, helping him up.

Isabeau growls and that's when Marty notices her glowing eyes, "Woah." He whispers out.

"What are you doing?" Walter asks, fearful.

Isabeau's eyes glow a little bit brighter as she stalks toward him, "I could ask you the same thing, Walter."

Walter begins climbing up the stairs to the scaffolding.

Isabeau continues, "Raising these spirits from the dead? Making them murder for you? That's playing with fire, Walter."

Walter shakes his head, "You don't understand."

"You know what? You're right, I don't understand." Isabeau says as Walter continues up the scaffolding.

"Just... wait, look. You put your heart and soul into something, years of hard work. It's years, and then they take it! And they crap all over it!" Walter exclaims.

Dean and Sam look at Marty, who shakes his head like Walter doesn't know what he's talking about.

"And then – and then they want you to smile and say, "Thank you"." Walter says.

Isabeau raises her hands, "Walter, listen. It's just a movie. That's it."

Walter scoffs, "Look... I've got nothing against you. You're not part of this. Just please, please, just leave. But Martin's gotta stay."

"Sorry, can't do that. It's not that we like him or anything, it's... just a matter of principle." Dean growls out.

"Then I'm sorry, too." Walter raises the talisman again.

Sam steps forward, "Walter. Walter, pl- Don't."

Walter begins chanting. The set begins to shake, and three ghosts appear, including the man who murdered Jay.

"Sam! Beau!" Dean shouts and the two walk over. Dean raises his shotgun. The ghosts, all of whom are mangled in some way, begin walking closer, "Come on, come on!"

Suddenly, they disappear. Then, out of nowhere, Sam is knocked to the floor - the ghosts are now invisible.

"Sam!" Isabeau exclaims as Dean helps him up, "Come on, come on! Move!"

Isabeau is suddenly ranked back and screams as she feels a hand grip the back of her hair, pulling her to the ground and dragging her away, "Sam! Dean!"

Both brothers turn and their eyes widen in fear at Isabeau being dragged, "Beau!" Both of them shout and break out into a sprint to help her.

Isabeau pulled away from one of the ghosts' grip by any invisible force and she no longer felt the hand gripping her hair.

She looks over as all three of her brothers come into view, Alphonse and Dion's eyes glowing violet as Eugene's glow a fiery orange. Alphonse and Dion have their hands raised as the ghost who dragged Isabeau visibly flickers.

Dean and Sam run over and help Isabeau stand while her brothers come up to them. "Sorry, couldn't sit back and do nothing." Alphonse says as they all watch the ghost walk towards them.

Isabeau huffs, "It's fine. Come on, we gotta go."

The six of them and Marty begin running away while the lights on set begin shorting out, lots of sparks flying. The seven of them run into another building and shut the door behind them.

Dean reloads his gun and quotes Bruce Willis as "John McClane" from "Die Hard", with accent and all, "'Come out to the coast! We'll get together, have a few laughs!'" He says sarcastically.

Then Dean turns around and realizes the building they entered is actually just the set for the abandoned house. It's completely open on the other wall – they haven't actually reached any real shelter, "Oh, man!"

"I can't believe this. Ghosts are real!" Marty says out of breath.

Isabeau's eyes change from their glowing violet to now match Eugene's fiery orange, "What makes you say that?" She asks him.

Marty stares at Isabeau and then his gaze moves to her brothers, all of them with glowing eyes, "What the hell are you guys?"

Isabeau exchanges a look with her brothers and she shrugs, "A mixture of witches and fire elementals. Take your pick."

They look around, ready to fight. Marty shakes his head, his mind getting back on the ghosts, "But I don't understand. How is Walter controlling them?"

Sam breathes heavily, "Probably that talisman."

Suddenly, Sam takes out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?" Marty asks.

"I mean, if film cameras pick these suckers up, then... maybe, uh…" Sam trails off.

Isabeau smiles at her boyfriend, "Genius, really."

Sam uses his cell phone camera to scan the room. He suddenly sees one of the ghosts a few feet away, heading straight for Dean.

"Dean! Right there!" Sam shouts, pointing and Dean shoots it. The ghost disappears from Sam's cell.

"Got him." Sam confirms.

Isabeau moves her brothers behind her, keeping them safe.

Sam picks up another ghost, "Hey! Right there!"

Dean shoots again. They then notice Walter walking around the upper level.

Sam hands his phone to Marty, "Here, you get the idea?"

Marty nods, "Yeah."

"All right, you hold them off. I'm going after Walter." Sam says.

Isabeau grabs Sam's hand before he could leave the set, "Ah, _we're_ going, Stretch."

Sam looks down at Isabeau's free hand, seeing Eugene smiling as he holds it. "We have a faster way."

Isabeau and Eugene's eyes glow a little brighter and in a flash, the three of them have transformed into a large ball of fire and they fly out of the set towards Walter.

Marty watches them go with fascination, "I cannot believe there's an afterlife and…" He glances at Alphonse and Dion whose eyes are still glowing violet, "Whatever they are."

"Witches and elementals." Alphonse frowns at Marty.

Dean cocks his gun, "Oh, there's an afterlife, all right. But mostly, it's a pain in the ass."

Marty keeps scanning the room with the phone, "There!" Marty ducks to his left as Dean shoots.

* * *

Walter leaves the set through the back exit and comes face-to-face with Sam, Isabeau and Eugene.

"It's over, Walter. Now give it to me." Sam steps forward.

Walter throws the talisman on the ground, shattering it, "There! Okay, now no one can have it."

Eugene shakes his head, his eyes stop glowing, "I wouldn't have done that if I were you."

"Oh, yeah?"

Sam nods, backing away slowly, "Yeah."

"And why not?" Walter asks.

Isabeau's eyes change back to glowing violet and the broken pieces of the talisman flies into her open palms, "Because you just freed them."

Marty, Dean, Alphonse and Dion join them outside.

Isabeau continues, "We can't stop them now. Walter, you brought them back, forced them to murder. They're not gonna be very happy with you." Her eyes stop glowing when all the pieces are in her hands.

"Yeah? So, why not?" Walter asks, backing away.

He suddenly falls to the ground and begins screaming in pain. Blood begins to seep through his clothing. Marty raises the cell phone and sees all of the ghosts tearing Walter apart.

Isabeau frowns, looking at her brothers who were unfazed by the events unfolding in front of them. Children in the supernatural and hunter life never got childhood innocence, and it will never change.

* * *

A few days later, the crew resumed filming. "Kendra" and "Mitch" are now in the abandoned house. "Kendra" is scanning the room with her cell phone, the same kind as Sam has.

"Oh, God. Oh, God. There!" Kendra exclaims.

"Mitch" shoots and from the sidelines, McG is watching, ecstatic.

"But I don't understand. How can the spirits appear in the camera phone?" Kendra asks.

"The video must pick up their frequencies in a way that our eyes can't." Mitch guesses.

"Oh, God. Oh, God. Right there!" Kendra shouts again.

Mitch shoots again.

"Cut! Oh, print that one. That's in the movie! Oh! Loved it, kids. Loved it." McG exclaims happily.

Marty, Sam and the boys are also watching from the sidelines. "You find out there's an afterlife, and this is what you do with it?" Sam asks.

Marty looks up from texting, grinning, "I needed a little jazz on the page. Plus, we added some extra characters, you know, witches and some elementals."

The three brothers roll their eyes; again, humans were sometimes idiots.

* * *

Sam and the boys are walking among the trailers. When he passes the trailer they were in, the door opens, and Dean and Isabeau come out, clearly disheveled.

Dean smirks as Isabeau fixes her clothes and hair sheepishly, "Sorry, he's one hell of a P.A." She jokes.

Dean smiles, placing a kiss on her temple, "Thank you, sweetheart."

Sam just shakes his head fondly, "Couldn't wait, could you?"

The two shrug while Isabeau's brothers grimace at the three, "Gross." They all say in unison.

Isabeau places her hands on her hips, "Watch it, believe me I'll be feeling the same when you guys tell me you got partners."

Their faces fall and they sheepishly smile at their older sister. Too late on that one.

Isabeau blinks at her brother's silence, "No…" She smiles brightly, "You guys have crushes don't you?!"

Alphonse's eyes widen, "Run." He tells his brothers and they break off into a sprint, running away from their sister.

Isabeau laughs, chasing after them, "You three get back here!" Her brothers laugh as Isabeau tries to chase them down.

Sam and Dean laugh as they watch the siblings, "Think we should help her?" Sam asks.

Dean shrugs, walking in the direction that the four siblings were running around, "I'm letting the boys have a head start."

"You two better help me or you are both in the dog house!" Isabeau shouts, pointing at her boyfriends.

Sam shakes his head, "Now we help." They break out into smiles and help Isabeau round up her brothers, teasing them as they make their way back to the impala and off to a week of relaxation back home until they set off again on another hunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hollywood Babylon done and over with! I also wanted to incorporate Alphonse, Eugene, and Dion since all three of them are now getting older and are starting to really get into hunting. Plus, after this is one more filler chapter and then it's the rest of the episodes from there. All together, "What Is and What Should Never Be" is going to be mostly rewritten to fit Isabeau in and also the three's relationship, so I am excited for that one, but that comes after "Folsom Prison Blues". And then after that is the last two episodes. Only four left!
> 
> Also, not ready for Supernatural to come back in October. It looks so emotional and I was ready to cry. Also, I've only watched the first episode of Season 15 and I'm waiting for it to be completely out in November to watch the entire season all at once. So, please don't say anything about Season 15 cause I have seen none of it yet.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	40. An Old Friend

Isabeau strums her ukulele as she sits by the campfire in her backyard. It's been a couple of days since she's been home and the three of them were planning on staying the entire week for a short vacation.

She was sitting in between Sam and Dean, all of them sitting on a blanket with a couple of pillows around them.

Dean was making s'more after s'more, enjoying the treat to his heart's content. Sam was making his own s'more, going at a much slower pace than his brother.

Isabeau already had a couple and settled for playing around with her ukulele. It felt good to play it; she never took it with her on the road, it was for being home.

Across the fire sat her parents and her brothers. They were also making their own s'mores, her parents cuddled together enjoying the fire. Isabeau smiles at her parents. Her parents showed Isabeau the idea of a loving relationship and strived to have that of her own one day.

She looks at both of her boyfriends, her smile never fading; and she had that. A beautiful, loving relationship with her boys. She wouldn't give it up for anything.

"You cold?" Sam asks, placing a hand on her bare thigh. She was wearing a simple pair of jean shorts, a flowy black tank top that had lace in it, and a maroon soft knitted sweater. Her clothing was different from what she usually wore, but she enjoyed it.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, I'm okay. But I wouldn't complain if you or Dean kept me warm."

Sam chuckles, pulling Isabeau sideways into his lap so that her back could lean back into his chest and her legs can lay in Dean's lap.

Dean smiles, placing a hand on her leg, rubbing it softly, "Cheeky, Beau."

Isabeau shrugs with a sheepish smile, and sets her ukulele off to the side, "What? I can still feel cold, just not _be_ cold."

She looks over and notices Alphonse focused on his cellphone, his lips curling up in a small smile. She narrows her eyes at him as he informs their parents that he was going to head into the house to head to the bathroom.

Isabeau's eyes follow Alphonse as he walks into the house, "I'll be right back." She informs her boyfriends, getting up from their hold and following her brother into the house.

Isabeau quietly makes her way in and tip toes to the archway of the kitchen where Alphonse is on the phone smiling.

"You're going to love it, Marnie. Yeah, I'll see you Friday. I can't wait. " He hangs up the phone and smiles to himself.

Isabeau smirks, leaning against the archway, "Marnie Jennings?"

Alphonse jumps and turns to his sister, red dusting his cheeks in embarrassment, "Izzy!"

"Was that Lucy's younger sister? The vampire of the family." Isabeau asks, sitting down at the kitchen table, waiting for her brother's answer.

Alphonse sighs, knowing that he wasn't going to get out of this anytime soon. He scratches the back of his neck and sits down next to her, "Yeah, it was Marnie. We have a, uh, date on Friday."

Isabeau smiles brightly, "Alphonse… I'm so happy for you."

Alphonse looks at his sister like she has two heads, "You're not freaking out like I thought you would be."

Isabeau rolls her eyes, "Look, Alphonse, I started dating when I was 13, way younger than you. Yes, it's weird to see my little brothers growing up so fast, but you and Eugene are teenagers now. It's honestly not the most shocking thing you could do as a teenager. Plus, Dion is only a few years behind you guys."

Isabeau smiles at him, "As long as you're happy and you treat your partner right, I promise not to be the overprotective big sister. And Marnie is a nice girl… Though, where are you guys going for your date?"

Alphonse looks down shyly, "The theater in town is doing reruns of old black and white silent movies. Marnie and I saw that it was coming up and I asked her if she would like to come with me on a date."

"And she said yes." Isabeau finished with a raised brow.

Alphonse nods, "She loves black and white movies. Marnie said that her mom has a huge collection of them on film."

Isabeau hums. She remembers Lucy telling her that her mother, Grace, had an extensive film collection. Their mother was a very old vampire and even worked on some of the movies that she owned.

"Good move, copperhead." Isabeau smirks when she uses Uncle C's nickname for Alphonse.

Alphonse groans, "I told mom and dad, but Uncle C is going to have a fit."

Isabeau laughs, "Welcome to the team. How do you think Uncle C reacted when I told him I was dating the Winchester's?"

Alphonse chuckles, "I know, Uncle C wouldn't stop talking about it for the longest time. Imagine when he finds out that all of his niece and nephews are dating."

Isabeau perks up in her seat, "Yeah, who is Eugene and Dion crushing on? I didn't get to ask any of you on the ride back home."

Alphonse shifts in his seat, "Eugene is going on a date with Orson Wednesday and Dion has been really close with Harris, he has a huge crush on him."

Alphonse looks over at his sister, nervous to see her reaction. Though, with the smile on her face, his worries were washed away.

"Wait, Eugene is going on a date with Orson Vega? Gabriella's second youngest brother and werewolf?" Isabeau asks.

Alphonse nods, "Yeah."

Isabeau takes a breath, "And Dion has a crush on Harris Castro; Skylar's second youngest brother who is a shapeshifter?"

Alphonse nods again, "Yeah, Izzy. We know we're all still young and finding out who we are but-"

"Alphonse." Isabeau interrupts, scooting a little closer to her brother, "You don't need to know who you all are so young. You're growing up, experimenting."

"But you came out when you were 14!" Alphonse retaliates, "You knew that you were pansexual and you were confident about it."

Isabeau smiles softly, "You're right. But, even now I still question who I am. I identify as pansexual cause that's the label I feel the most comfortable with. Even with dating both Sam and Dean, I can identify still as pansexual, but can also identify as polysexual or polyamorous."

She continues, "You don't need to label yourself right away. There are people well into their 40's, or hell, even 80's that don't label themselves because they're still figuring it out. No matter how you, Eugene, or Dion identify yourselves, everyone will support you every step of the way."

She sighs, "So, whenever you guys are ready, I will be proud of you. And not just me, mom, dad, Uncle C, Nanna, everyone who loves you will be proud of you."

Alphonse stares at his sister for a moment and then jumps out of his seat, hugging his sister tightly, "Thank you, Izzy."

Isabeau hugs her brother back just as tight, "Always, Alphonse." She then chuckles, "Out of all of us, I'm the one that is dating not one, but two humans."

Alphonse chuckles, "Yeah, but Sam and Dean are good humans, can't wait for them to be my brothers-in-laws."

Isabeau's eyes widen, "Woah, slow your roll. Marriage is a big step, big guy. I would love to marry them, but things are just crazy right now. Once yellow-eyes is gone, then yeah, we might take a break, get a little house, and yeah…" Isabeau trails off.

She knew that if things were different, the talk of marriage would be brought up all the time. Heck, maybe even the talk of children.

Isabeau clears her throat, "Come on, we need to finish up our s'mores and then it's bed for all of us."

Isabeau guides Alphonse to the back door of the house,keeping an arm around his shoulder. "Why can't we camp out with you, Sam and Dean?" Alphonse asks as they step out onto the back porch.

Isabeau looks out to the backyard where everyone else was surrounding the vampire. A good distance away from the fire was a large makeshift tent set up with a bunch of fairy lights, and with an air mattress, pillows and blankets inside. It was for the three to sleep in for the next couple of nights.

Isabeau shakes her head, "Cause the three of us need some alone time, Alphonse. I promise you, the weekend before we leave, you, Eugene and Dion can camp outside with us."

Alphonse nods and they both make their way back down to the campfire, "Are you sure you can't stay for more than a week?" Alphonse asks.

Isabeau thinks about it for a moment and then smiles in the direction of her boyfriends, "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

_Mother._

Isabeau's eyes flutter open at a voice calling out to her.

_Mother._

Isabeau sits up from the blow-up air mattress, looking around in confusion. All the lights in the tent were off and Sam and Dean were still asleep on either side of her. The multitude of soft blankets covered all three of their naked bodies from when they fell asleep.

_Mother._

She hears the voice call out again and she cautiously crawls away from Sam and Dean, grabbing a forgotten blanket, wrapping it around her body, leaving her arms exposed to the night air.

Isabeau silently steps out of the tent, her bare feet walking on the cold grass and the moonlight acting as her only source of light. Her blanket drags behind her as she steps farther away from the tent.

She walks down to the lake, stopping where the grass meets the rocks. Isabeau licks her lips nervously as she looks around.

When she turns around she gasps at what is standing behind her.

A tall scarecrow holding a sickle is standing behind her, tilting his head at her, " _Hello Mother."_

Isabeau's heart races in fear as she stares at the scarecrow, " _ **Vanir."**_ Isabeau gasps at the sound of her voice, it seemed louder and it sounded like it was slightly echoing.

" _I see you remember me, Mother."_

Isabeau nods, "I thought you were destroyed." Her voice was normal again, "When Emily burned the sacred tree."

The scarecrows shoulders bounce and heard him chuckling, " _You brought me back. A mother always protects her children."_

Isabeau shakes her head, "What? I…" Isabeau trails off, not knowing what to say. They burned the sacred tree, Vanir should have disappeared along with it, "How."

" _When you spoke to me. You gave me a command and I followed it. You knew I wouldn't hurt you or your friends, and trusted me. Deep down, you had a desire to keep me alive."_

Isabeau thinks about it for a moment. And he was right. Deep down there was a weird connection between them; she felt like she was responsible for Vanir, meant to protect him. It was the same feeling she got when it came to children. A motherly instinct.

"But, what about sacrifices? Don't you need them?" She asks.

Vanir shakes his head, attaching his sickle to his side, " _Only when I'm bound by the sacred tree. When it burned, I was no longer tied to it, I no longer served the town. And upon your desires, I no longer kill. You changed your creation."_

Isabeau tilts her head, "My desires? But, I didn't create you."

Vanir is silent for a moment, " _No, you did not, but the responsibility of being our mother was passed onto you. You now can change our old ways and create a new version of us. A better version."_

Isabeau furrows her brow, "Passed onto me? By who, Vanir?"

Vanir sighs, " _I cannot say, my creator, made us swear that we shall not tell you until the time is right. Until you find out for yourself of who you truly are."_

Isabeau sighs, "I see." She bites her lip, "How many more of you are my…"

" _Children?"_

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, sorry, it feels weird to say that."

Vanir nods, " _Give it time, for you are the mother of many. Many old gods and pagan gods are your children."_

Isabeau nods, swallowing thickly, "Gotcha. God, I'm only 24 and I'm being told I'm a mother of gods. No pressure or anything."

Vanir places a comforting hand on Isabeau's shoulder, " _Take your time. But you must know, that we will not hurt you, we will protect you. Though you might have to help a few others who lost their way."_

Isabeau shifts in her spot, placing her hand on top of Vanir's, "Other gods, like you? Change the old ways and create new ones?"

Vanir nods, " _Yes. Though I must ask, what would like me to do now, Mother?"_

Isabeau bites her lip, "There is a mansion, a couple of towns over where my coven resides. Stay there, you will be protected as you help protect them. Can you do that for me?"

If Vanir could smile in the vessel of the scarecrow, he would, " _As you wish, Mother. If you ever need me, call my name, and I will be by your side."_

Vanir's hand moves from her shoulder to gently pet her head, " _Goodbye, for now, Mother."_ Vanir removes his hand and turns to walk away from Isabeau.

Isabeau watches as Vanir disappears into the woods, leaving her all alone by the lake. Unknown to her, her eyes glow green as she whispers out, " _ **Goodbye, Vanir."**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vanir is back baby, and he's here to stay! So, now Isabeau knows a little bit more about her role as 'Mother', but it's not fully coming to light of who she is really, or who passed down the responsibility. But, Vanir is now a good god and will be an ally to Isabeau and the coven. Also, Isabeau being a great big sister to her younger brothers. And it looks like the three will be taking a bit of a long-needed vacation... hopefully.
> 
> Also, would you guys like a character guide for this series. I have a lot of characters that I'm introducing and I don't know if it would help you guys if you had a sort of guide to all of them cause I know it can get confusing. Let me know.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	41. Folsom Prison Blues Pt.1

Sam and Dean walk in through the door of the Arkansas Museum of Anthropology. Dean is holding a map and flashlight and Sam is holding just a flashlight.

Dean looks at the map, "This way."

They walk down the hallway, "I hate this plan, Dean." Sam says.

"Yeah, I got that the first ten times I heard it." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "God, I wish Isabeau was here with us."

Dean sighs, "Same. But what can we do, man? She's got to follow her part of the plan and to do that, she can't be with us."

They turn a corner, walking side by side. They pass a motion sensor on the wall at mid-calf height. The light on the motion sensor turns red as they keep walking.

Sam undoes the lock on a glass exhibition case and he carefully takes a decorated axe from the case. Dean is holding a hooked dagger from another case and Sam turns the axe around in his hands.

There's a noise somewhere in the museum that causes Sam to look up. Dean looks back at Sam who inclines his head, and they put down the weapons, and leave.

* * *

Sam and Dean leave the room and walk quickly towards the exit. They turn a corner and are met by two policemen.

"Freeze!" One officer calls out.

They turn back the other way, but two more policemen block their path, "Don't move!" Another officer shouts.

They go down the last hallway open to them, and there is yet another pair of cops standing there.

"I said freeze!" The first officer calls out again.

"Hold it right there!" The second officer commands.

The first officer comes up behind them, "Put your hands on you heads! Get down on your knees! Now!"

Sam and Dean comply, kneeling down and two of the cops walk closer and handcuff them.

Dean smiles slightly and looks at Sam, who doesn't look as pleased and heaves a worried sigh.

* * *

Sam is standing in front of a mugshot board holding a sign that says:

81A3826

LITTLE ROCK

CITY POLICE

LITTLE ROCK AR.

He reaches about 6'5 on the board. "Front." The photography orders Sam to face straight forward. The camera clicks, and Sam's picture turns black and white.

"To the right." The photographer orders. The camera clicks again, and Sam is now facing his right.

* * *

Dean is standing where Sam was moments before, holding a similar sign. He reaches just under 6'3 and is grinning, "I call this one the Blue Steel."

Dean purses his lips, arches his right eyebrow, and mugs for the camera.

"Yeah, that's great." The photography says sarcastically. The camera clicks and the picture changes to black and white as Sam's did.

"To the right." The camera clicks again, and Dean faces the right, "All right, back to the lineup." The photographer commands.

Dean turns back, still grinning, "Wait, who looks better, me or Nick Nolte?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Dean is sitting inside an interrogation room, handcuffed to the table. He looks down fiddling with his thumbs. He was wondering what Isabeau was up to at the moment.

For the past couple of months, the three of them stayed at her parents' place, enjoying a little time off. Some hunting here and there, but nothing that took them out of state. In a way, it gave them an idea of what it would be like to get a place of their own.

He didn't let Isabeau or Sam know, but he was looking at houses for the three of them. When Isabeau talked about getting a place of their own when all of this was over, he was already looking.

Breaking from his thoughts, the door opens and two men enter; one is Agent Henriksen.

Dean looks over, "Well, it's about time. I'll have a cheeseburger. Extra onions."

Henriksen smiles at the other cop and the other cop smirks, "You think you're funny."

"I think I'm adorable." Dean smiles widely.

Henriksen nods, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Dean." On hearing this, Dean's smile freezes.

Henriksen continues, "I'm Special Agent Victor Henriksen. This is my partner, Special Agent Reidy."

Dean is still smiling, but a bit worried, "Henriksen? Not the Milwaukee agent Henriksen?"

Henriksen shakes his head, "Live and in person."

Dean gives a short laugh.

Henriksen pulls out a picture of Dean looking over his shoulder, "Oh, nice shot." He tosses the picture onto the table, "You can hang that up in your cell at Super Max."

"All right, maybe we can just forget the cheeseburger, huh?" Dean asks with a smile.

Henriksen smiles, "Oh, yeah. Keep that game face on. Try and cover how up cornered you are." He looks over to Reidy, "Read him the charges."

Reidy starts listing off the charges, "Well, we got mail fraud, credit card fraud, grave desecration…"

Henriksen points at him, "Skip to the good ones."

"Armed robbery, kidnapping and, oh, three counts of first-degree murder." Reidy says.

"And after Milwaukee, you can keeping an officer of the law hostage and your brother is now a suspect in a murder case himself. I'd say for you two, "screwed to hell" is a major understatement." Henriksen explains.

Dean looks over at Henriksen, "Well, where there's life, there's hope, huh?" One thing was bugging him; how did he know about Isabeau?

Henriksen makes a noise of assent, "See? That's what I kept thinking as I was searching for your asses all over hell and gone."

He leans forward on the table, speaking softly, "Your dad taught you well. The way you cover your tracks and after Milwaukee the way you," He whistles and moves his hand to the side, mimicking disappearing, "Vanished."

Dean laughs softly.

"Near went nuts trying to find you. Ask him." Henriksen gestures to Reidy.

"He near went nuts." Reidy deadpans.

"And after all of that, you get tripped up on a motion detector. Pretty rookie move. Gotta say I was… surprised." Henriksen says.

Henriksen then shakes his head, "Though I am baffled by one thing. What did you do to Isabeau Fitzgerald?"

Dean smiles, "Who?" He lies.

Henriksen stares at him, "Officer Fitzgerald. The woman who you held hostage in the bank in Milwaukee. We found her in the basement unconscious."

Dean pauses and then clicks his tongue, "Oh, the white-haired chick. Yeah, she was cute. What about her?"

Henriksen narrows his eyes at Dean, "She's currently missing. Disappeared from Milwaukee not long after you and your brother. My guess is that you and your brother took an interest and decided to add kidnapping an officer to your list of charges. So, where is she?"

Dean shakes his head, "Sorry to hear that, but, uh, haven't seen or heard of her."

Henriksen nods with a hum, "We will find her."

Dean looks down at the table when the door beside him opens. He looks over at it, as does Henriksen and Reidy.

In walks Public Defender, Mara Daniels, "Dean Winchester?"

"In the flesh." Dean says.

"And you are?" Henriksen asks.

"Mara Daniels, Public Defender's office." She shakes hands with Dean, "I've been assigned you and your brother's case."

"Huh." Dean hums.

Mara looks back and forth between the two men, "Are you Henriksen?" She asks.

Henriksen nods, "Yeah, and we're not quite done here."

Mara nods with a smile, "Ah, yeah. You are. And if you don't mind, I would like to meet with my clients. Privately."

Dean raises his eyebrows and smiles at Henriksen.

* * *

Sam is now sitting in the same room with Dean as Mara opens her suitcase, "Unfortunately your arraignment on the breaking and entering charge won't be until Tuesday."

"And they'll keep us in the county jail?" Dean asks.

"That's right." Mara confirms.

"Green River County Detention Center?" Sam asks.

Mara nods, "Yes. And considering the charges you're facing, no judge in his right mind is going to grant you bail."

Sam scoffs.

"Yeah, we figured that." Dean says.

"Extradition papers have already been filed from five separate states, Missouri and Wisconsin being the biggest concern – the bank robbery and the murder raps." Mara explains.

Sam glances at Dean, "Well, how long can we stall extradition?"

"A week. Maybe less." Mara answers.

Dean nods and Sam raises his eyebrows at his brother.

* * *

Rear bus doors open, revealing a shackled man, who gets out. Following him is Dean, holding the chains attached to his wrists and feet, and Sam follows.

"All right, let's go. Watch your step. Come on, keep moving." The guard orders them.

The prisoners walk past the front of the bus in a line and along the rec yard from earlier. Prisoners line up against the fence and catcall at the new convicts.

One of them points at Sam, "You're mine, baby!"

Dean glances over his shoulder, "Don't worry, Sam. I promise I won't trade you for smokes."

Sam just shakes his head and glances around at all the guards; Where the hell was Isabeau?

* * *

The new prisoners, now dressed in orange jumpsuits, are flanked by two guards and each carrying blankets and a roll of toilet paper, walk down the hallway in a line. One of the guards unlocks a cell door.

The first prisoner in line and Dean enter the cell, "I call top bunk!" Dean grins.

Dean's roommate scoffs and places his things on the top bunk. Dean nods, "Okay."

Dean turns and watches Sam walk into the cell across the hallway from his.

Sam nods to his very large roommate, who stands slowly and glares at him. Sam's eyes widen, he swallows, and turns around. The cell doors close on him and Dean as they stare at each other.

* * *

The prisoners are lined up to be frisked by a guard, and scanned with a metal-detecting rod by another.

Dean and Sam are well down the line.

Dean speaks in a low voice to Sam, who is standing behind him, "My roommate doesn't say much. How's yours?"

"Just keeps staring at me... in a way that makes me ... really uneasy." Sam says quietly.

Dean nods, "It sounds like you're making new friends."

Sam shifts in place, "Dean. This is, without a doubt, the dumbest, craziest thing we've ever done. And that's in a long, storied career of dumb and crazy."

"Calm down. It's all part of the plan." Dean says.

Sam scoffs, "Oh really? So Henriksen showing up was part of the plan? Him knowing about Isabeau?"

"Yeah, that guy moves a little faster than I thought." Dean pauses, "I don't know how he knows about Isabeau. Look, all we gotta do is find this ghost, put the sucker down... then grab ourselves a couple of teardrop tattoos." Dean jokes.

"That's not funny." Sam sighs, "Dean, what about this escape plan? Do –"

"It's a 100 percent sure thing. I wouldn't have gone if it wasn't. I mean, come on, man, this place has all the signs of a haunting. Innocent people are dead. Four so far." Dean explains.

Sam laughs sarcastically, "Yeah, innocent."

Dean blinks, "You from Texas all of a sudden? Just because these people are in jail, doesn't mean they deserve to die. If we don't stop this thing, people are going to continue to die. We do this job wherever it takes us."

"Look, Dean, just be straight with me, all right? You're doing this for Deacon?" Sam asks.

"Damn right." Dean answers immediately.

"We barely even know the guy."

Dean glances over, "We know he was in the Corps with Dad. We know he saved Dad's life. We know we owe him."

"Yeah, all right, but don't you think he's asking a little much?" Sam asks.

"It doesn't matter. We may not be saints, but we're loyal and we pay our debts. Now, that means something to me, and it ought to you." Dean pauses, "I'm not thrilled about this either, man, but Deacon asked us to hunt this thing down, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

* * *

Sam is looking at spaghetti on his fork and sniffing at it disdainfully. He and Dean are eating at a table, "You know, this chicken isn't half bad." Dean comments, though frowns at it.

When they were staying with Isabeau's family they were eating home cooked meals almost everyday.

"Great. Finish mine." Sam puts down his fork and slides his plate towards Dean. He was about to speak when something or better, someone caught his attention. He licks his lips, "Found Isabeau."

Dean's eyes widen and he looks over in the direction Sam was staring. He swallows thickly, "Hello, sweetheart." He whispers out.

A distance away from them was Isabeau, who had her long white hair styled into two french braids and was wearing a guards uniform with her own little added touch of wearing combat boots. Her rosary was gone and her tattoos were covered up by makeup.

Her eyes scan over the cafeteria and freezes when she lands on Sam and Dean. She faintly smirks and winks at the brothers.

She juts her head, gesturing for them to look away from her and get back to what they were doing.

Sam nods and Dean turns back, "All right, so let's go back over this, Dean." Sam says, getting back on track, eyes flickering to Isabeau every so often.

Dean stabs Sam's chicken with a fork and moves it to his own plate.

"Spirit suspect number one is Mark Moody, right?" Sam asks.

Dean glances over his shoulder, "Yeah, psycho killer extraordinaire – Satanism, ritual murderer, died in jail."

"You sure it's him?"

Dean takes a bite of his food, "Pretty sure."

"Dean, considering our circumstances, I'm gonna need a little bit better than 'pretty sure'." Sam says.

" _Really_ pretty sure." Dean answers, "Moody died of a heart attack, which is what all the victims in here are dying of. He died in the old cell block, which they closed after he croaked, 30 years ago. They just opened that back up. That's when the killings started."

Sam nods, "So you think his spirit was released somehow?"

Dean hums, "Mm-hmm."

"But what if he was already cremated?" Sam asks.

Dean juts his head to Isabeau, "Isabeau is figuring that out, you know touching everything she can get her hands on, but I'm guessing there's something in the old block that's keeping him around. And whatever it is, we got to find it. And, uh, you know the rest."

Dean puts down his fork, "I'm done."

Dean gets up and walks away with Sam following. While he wasn't looking, Sam bumps heavily into a tattooed prisoner. Sam immediately apologizes, "Sorry. I –"

The tattooed prisoner glares at him, "Watch where you're going."

Sam nods, "Yeah. Sure. I just –"

Dean walks over to the tattooed prisoner, "He said he was sorry."

"Dean…" Sam warns.

Isabeau, who was watching, swore to herself, "Shit, couldn't go five minutes, Dearie?" She whispers to herself.

"You talking to me?" The prisoner asks as Dean stares at him, "Are you talking to me?" He asks again.

Dean raises his brow, "Great, another guy who's seen "Taxi Driver" too many times. Yeah, I'm talking to you. Trust me. Let it go."

The tattooed prisoner walks away, Isabeau sighs in relief and Dean turns to Sam.

"Dean, come on." Sam says.

"See, that's how you got to talk to these guys." Dean winks and clicks his tongue, "Instant respect."

Sam notices the tattooed prisoner is talking to a very large prisoner, who is sitting at a table nearby and he gets up. Sam raises a brow, "You were saying?"

Dean turns as the very large prisoner is following the tattooed prisoner towards Dean as other prisoners look on, "Oh, great." He groans.

The tattooed prisoner throws a punch at Dean and he catches him, and holds him from behind, "We can end this right now – no harm, no foul."

Isabeau clenches her jaw and holds herself back from jumping in too soon.

The tattooed prisoner breaks Dean's hold. Dean grabs him again and slams him against a wall. The tattooed steps on Dean's foot, he steps back and kicks the tattooed prisoner in the groin and then sends him flying backwards to the ground with another kick.

Isabeau looks over as the warden comes up to her with other guards. He gives her a nod, gesturing for her to take the front. She steps forward with the men behind her, "That's enough!" She yells out.

Isabeau walks towards the prisoner and Dean, expressionless as she gets into character. She glances down at the tattooed prisoner, "On your feet, Lucas." She orders.

Sam swallows thickly as he watches Isabeau. They've never seen her like this before, commanding and powerful; it was quite intimidating and dare he say, attractive.

Lucas rubs his jaw, glancing up at the woman, "Yes, ma'am." He gets up, watching on.

Isabeau takes out her baton and holds it under Dean's chin, "What's your name?" She asks, tilting his head up.

She hears a couple of prisoners whistling at her actions, and even a few sexual comments. She ignores them, staring into Dean's eyes.

Dean licks his lips, "Winchester." If they weren't in this situation, he was pretty sure he'd be on his knees for Isabeau.

Isabeau smirks, "Well, Winchester... not a good start." After a long pause, Isabeau removes the baton from under Dean's chin. She turns around and walks to the warden, nodding at him.

The warden nods back and looks at Dean, "Solitary." The warden bumps against Lucas, "You too, Lucas."

The other guards grab Lucas and Dean. "Yes, sir." Lucas responds as the warden and Isabeau walk away.

Dean looks over the shoulder of the guard holding him and escorting him out, "Are we having fun yet, huh?" He asks Sam.

The very large prisoner points at Sam, then makes a slicing motion across his neck.

Sam sighs. Of course it had to go this way.

* * *

Dean is sitting in a cell, leaning against a wall, "I wish I had a baseball." He calls out.

Lucas looks through the small window-slit in the door of his cell, across the hallway from Dean's cell, "What? What'd you say?"

"I said, 'I wish I had a baseball.'" Dean repeats himself.

Dean moves so he can look through his own window-slit, "You know, like... Steve McQueen."

Lucas nods, "Yeah? Well, I wish I had a bat. So I could bash your frickin' head in."

"Okay." Dean says quietly.

Dean goes back to leaning against the wall, "Well, so much for the bonding in solitary moment."

The lights flicker and Dean's breath becomes visible, "Oh, crap."

Dean looks through the cellroom slit and sees a clock in the hallway, which reads 8:30. The second hand is just past the 4 and is not moving. The lights are flickering with a static-y sound, "Lucas, listen to me. Stay very still."

Lucas looks through his window-slit, hearing whispering and two narrowed eyes look back at him, framed in the slit.

Lucas gasps and backs up in alarm. A hand grabs him from behind and turns his face around, looking at the eyes again. Lucas grimaces, then screams, as dark veins pop out on and spread across his face.

Dean is looking through his own narrow slit, his eyes widening in fear as he hears Lucas's screams echo throughout the cell block.

* * *

Inside Little Rock police station, Henriksen is reading a file at his desk. Reidy is looking at paperwork in the background as Mara enters the room, "Henriksen." She greets.

Henriksen looks over, "Hey, Daniels."

"Can I have a word?" She asks him.

Henriksen points to one of the chairs on the other side of his desk, "Have a seat. What's on your mind?:

Mara comes over, taking a seat, "I've been going through the Winchester charges. And I gotta say, there are some weird inconsistencies."

"Welcome to my world." Henriksen says, getting up to put his file away.

"I talked to a cop in Baltimore who swears up and down these boys saved her life and helped her catch a killer. And there's a witness to your bank robbery in Milwaukee. She swears Sam and Dean saved her life." Mara explains.

"Saved her from what?" Henriksen asks.

"She was a little unclear on that." Mara answers.

"That's because she's nuts. Look, I was in Milwaukee. I spoke to her, I spoke to all the witnesses." Henriksen shakes his head.

"And?"

"And, all I know is, wherever these guys go, people die. It's that simple." Henriksen says.

Mara shakes her head, "I don't know that it is. They just don't seem cut-and-dry guilty to me. I think there's more to this."

"Like what?" Henriksen questions.

"I don't know. Can't put my finger on it. It's just... strange." Mara says.

"Strange." Henriksen nods, "Yeah. Okay. Grownups are trying to get some work done here, so... if you don't mind…"

Mara looks pissed off at his patronizing attitude, and gets up to leave the room. But she pauses, "By the way, that honorary officer, Isabeau Fitzgerald, I talked to her."

Henriksen's face falls, "You what? She's been missing. We concluded that the Winchester brothers took her and hid her somewhere."

Mara shakes her head with a faint smile, "She's not missing, nor she said that the Winchesters ever took her. She left the bank robbery because she was following her own lead. Went underground basically."

Mara takes a breath, "She's fine and is currently working a case back in Sioux Falls. She'll give you a call to explain in more detail later." With that, she leaves the room.

Henriksen takes a seat and sighs.

* * *

Sam and a prisoner are mopping floors. Sam looks over his shoulder at the other prisoner, "How you doing?"

The prisoner looks over, "I'm 54 years old, mopping the floor of a crapper with bars on the windows. How you think I'm doing?"

Sam nods, "All right. Bad icebreaker. I'm Sam."

"Randall." The prisoner responds with a small smile.

"Nice to meet y–" Sam recognizes the name, turning around, "Randall. Hey, weren't you there the night that guard died?"

"Yeah." Randall answers.

"Well, what happened?" Sam asks.

"They say the stress of the job got him."

Sam smiles a little, "Yeah? What do you say?"

Randall stops moping and turns to Sam, "Why are you inside, kid?"

Sam goes back to moping, "'Cause I got an idiot for a brother."

"That'll do it." Randall comments.

"Yeah." Sam agrees.

Randall smiles, "Aw, this place ain't so bad. Compared to the old cellblock, this is the damn Hilton."

Sam turns, "You spent time in the old block?"

Randall nods, "Oh, yeah, I was a regular customer."

"Didn't they have Mark Moody over there for a while?" Sam asks.

"He was there." Randall turns to him, "Yeah I was there, too, the night that lunatic bought it."

"Yeah? It was a heart attack, right?"

"Sure, his heart stopped right after the guard stopped using his head for batting practice. The next morning, I was in his cell, mopping up the blood. What a mess." Randall explains and goes back to moping.

Sam furrows his brow, "Wait. So he – he was beaten and – and nobody reported it?"

"You kept your mouth shut, unless you wanted to die from the same heart attack, you know?" Randall says.

"Randall... exactly how much blood was there?" Sam asks.

* * *

Dean is playing cards with a prisoner at an outdoor table in the red yard, "Call."

The prisoner puts up his cards and winks at Dean, "Three aces."

Dean looks away, "That's a bad beat. That is a bad beat…"

The prisoner picks up the cigarettes that are on the table between them. Dean had a large pile of cigarettes next to him and Sam is standing nearby watching the game.

Dean continues, "...but, see, I'm full... 3s over aces."

The prisoner drops the cigarettes, slams his hand down on the table and stands up.

Dean laughs and spreads his hands, "Ha ha ha, sorry. Hey, it's a cruel game, my friend."

The prisoner flings down his cards and walks off. "Sorry, guys." Dean apologizes.

Sam sits down across from Dean as he gathers the cigarettes he won, "It's like picking low hanging fruit." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "You don't even smoke. And I'm pretty sure Isabeau would kick your ass if you did."

Dean raises a brow, "You forget who our girlfriend is? She never smoked cigarettes, but she does have her fun times every once in a while. And are you kidding me? This is the currency of the realm."

Sam narrows his eyes and changes the subject, "Look. I got a good lead on Moody."

"Yeah, me too. His spirit paid a little visit last night." Dean informs.

"What?" Sam asks.

"The clock stopped, the flickering lights, cold spot... I mean, he did everything but yell 'boo'." Dean explains.

"Well, what happened?"

"He walked right by me. Lucas wasn't so lucky. I mean, the way he was screaming…" Dean pauses, "The guy was a jerk, but he didn't deserve to go like that. What'd you find out on Moody?"

"Yeah, so, I think I know where we might find his remains. Blood in his old cell." Sam answers.

"Blood?" Dean asks, "I thought it was a heart attack."

Sam nods, "It was, after the guards worked him over. I mean, apparently there was so much blood in there, they had trouble mopping it out."

"How we gonna get in?" Dean asks.

"I got a plan. Just need to get it to Isabeau somehow." Sam informs.

Dean smiles, "That's the Sammy I know. Come on, man, you're like Clint Eastwood from 'Escape From Alcatraz'."

"Yeah, well, if I can't get the plan to Isabeau so she can burn the remains, how are we going to burn it?" Sam asks. If Isabeau couldn't do it, how were they going to?

"It's a good thing I'm like James Garner from 'The Great Escape'." Dean stands up and holds up two hands full of cigarettes, "Hey, fellas! Who's ready to deal?"


	42. Folsom Prison Blues Pt.2

Sam and Dean are in line for food inside the cafeteria, "You sure about this?" Dean leans over, whispering.

Sam glances at him, "Pretty sure."

Dean nods, "Yeah, well, considering our circumstances, I'd like a little better than 'pretty sure'."

Sam holds out his plate which is piled on with food haphazardly, "Okay, really pretty sure." He answers, walking away.

"I'd like mine al dente." Dean smiles.

The server plonks spaghetti noodles and sauce on Dean's tray. Dean grimaces, "Perfect."

Dean walks to a table at which the very large prisoner is sitting, "Save room for dessert, Tiny. Heh heh heh." Dean sits down across from Tiny.

Isabeau watches from the sidelines and rolls her eyes. What were her boyfriends up to now?

"Hey, I wanted to ask you, 'cause I couldn't help but notice that you are two tons of fun. Just curious – is it like a thyroid problem, or is it some deep seated self-esteem issue?" Dean asks.

Sam is on his feet nearby, watching. Isabeau narrows her eyes at Sam.

"'Cause, you know, they're, uh they're just doughnuts. They're not love." Dean says.

Sam is now standing near two guards and Isabeau who is on his other side. Sam turns his head to Isabeau, who is watching on curiously.

Tiny smiles, then suddenly shoves his tray towards Dean and punches him in the face, making Dean go flying to the ground.

The Warden walks around a corner near the two guards. Isabeau takes a deep breath, shoving her hand in her pants pocket where her rosary was and fiddles with them nervously. She knew she couldn't jump in too soon.

Dean gets up and hits Tiny three times, but his punches seem to have no impact. Tiny grabs the front of Dean's prison jumpsuit and Dean headbutts Tiny.

Dean steps back with a hand to his head and a guard puts his baton around Tiny's neck from behind. Tiny picks up the guard and throws him down on the table.

"Guys, give me a hand." The Warden commands the guard next to him.

The Warden and two guards who were standing near Sam hurry over as Tiny punches Dean again and grabs him from behind. During the struggle, Sam looks over and locks eyes with Isabeau, gesturing with his head for her to follow.

She nods and the two slip into the kitchen. "Sam, you better have a plan." Isabeau says, keeping a look out for anyone in the kitchen.

Sam chuckles, "Yeah, I just needed you to do it." He grabs a salt shaker, shoving it in his jumpsuit pocket.

"One more thing." Sam hooks his arm around Isabeau's waist, pulling her into his chest and pressing his lips against hers.

Isabeau smiles into the kiss, gabbing a fistful of the collar of his jumpsuit, pulling him even closer. She bites his bottom lip as they pull away, "I should dress in uniform more often." She jokes.

She pats his chest, "Come on. We don't have a lot of time."

Sam shakes his head fondly, placing a kiss on her temple before finding a vent and climbing into it with Isabeau following.

* * *

The guards finally succeed at pulling Tiny away from Dean. Dean falls to the floor and another guard helps him up, and the Warden grabs Dean's face, "If we'd waited any longer, you'd be dead." The Warden lets go of his face.

"You waited long enough." Dean groans.

The Warden shoves his baton into Dean's stomach. Dean doubles over and the Warden grabs the back of his head, "Do yourself a favor. Don't. Talk."

He lets go of Dean's head and speaks to the guards, "Take them both up to the infirmary."

* * *

Sam is lowering himself down into a hallway in the old cellblock. He lands with a grunt and looks up, holding his arms out to help Isabeau. His hands grip Isabeau's waist as he gently helps her down to the ground.

"Thanks." Isabeau simply says and they make their way through the hallway.

They open a cell door and lift the cover on the bed, revealing a large bloodstain.

Isabeau grimaces as Sam sprinkles salt from the shaker he stole from the cafeteria. "You got lighter fluid?" Sam asks.

Isabeau scoffs, pulling out a small bottle of lighter fluid, "When do I not?" She pours the fluid over the blood stain and then holds out her hand, creating a small ball of fire.

She tosses the ball of fire onto the bloodstain and it instantly catches on fire. She sighs, "Alright, let's get you back before anyone notices."

* * *

Inside the infirmary, Dean and Tiny are in adjacent cells with wire fence walls and a curtain between them, "Hey, Tiny." Dean calls out.

Tiny picks his head up, "Yeah?"

"Hey, sorry about the things I was saying earlier. I can't really tell you why, but I had to get you angry. So, uh... Anyway, sorry." Dean apologizes.

"It's okay. Truth is, I have low self-esteem issues. My old man treated me and my brother like crap, right up till the day he died." Tiny informs.

"How'd he die?" Dean asks.

"My brother shot him." Tiny answers.

Dean nods, "Okay."

Dean sees the ghost of a woman standing on the other side of a fenced-off area of the infirmary. The clock on the wall reads 8:45 and the second hand is at 12, "Oh, crap."

"What is it?" Tiny asks.

Dean gets off his bed, looks around for something to use against the ghost and rattles the door of his cell as the ghost walks through the fence she was standing behind. The time on the clock hasn't changed.

"What's going on?" Tiny asks, confused.

Dean grabs a salt shaker from a tray at the end of his bed. The ghost comes closer and Dean is flung back against the wall. He falls to the floor with a groan.

"What is it?" Tiny asks again.

The ghost is now standing over Dean. She puts a hand to his chest and he groans in pain as she breathes out and her breath is visible.

Dean flings salt at her and she disappears. He lies back, clutching his chest and groaning in pain.

"Oh! No! Noooo!" Tiny screams inarticulately.

"Tiny!" Dean gets to his feet and can see Tiny's shape through the curtain as he slides down the fenced wall of his cell, "Tiny!"

Dean slams the door of his cell and kicks it, "Guard! Guard!" He shouts.

* * *

Sam and Dean are walking across the rec yard, "Wait. So you're telling me it wasn't Moody?" Sam asks.

"Not unless he liked going around dressed like a nurse. Poor Tiny, man. Poor giant Tiny." Dean says.

"Wait, so this is – this is, like the ghost of some nurse who worked here or something?"

Dean shakes his head, "I don't know, man. I guess."

Sam holds his hand out, "You know what, Dean, at this point, "I don't know, I guess" isn't working for me. See, uh, I thought we were done. I called Deacon and Isabeau. It's happening. We're getting out tonight."

"I guess we got to do some quick research, then." Dean concludes.

"How? I mean, maybe you haven't noticed ... we're in jail." Sam reminds him.

* * *

Sam and Dean are talking to Randall, who shakes his head, "So you want to know about some nurse?"

Sam nods.

"Why you want to know?" Randall asks.

"Well, we got our reasons. But, uh... we'll make it worth your while." Dean says, and shows Randall a pack of cigarettes, which he takes.

"So, this nurse, she would have had white hair, one screwed up eye – is that ringing a bell?" Dean asks.

Randall nods, "Yeah. Yeah, I remember her."

"You remember her name?"

"No, that's still kind of fuzzy." Randall answers.

Sam exhales, slightly amused. Him and Dean look at each other. Sam shrugs, "Give it to him."

"I earned these."

"Dean." Sam gives him a scolding look.

Dean begrudgingly hands Randall another pack of cigarettes.

Randall takes it, "Glockner. Nurse Glockner. Nasty old bitch worked here in the '70s."

"You knew her?" Sam asks.

Randall shakes his head, "I met her once. Had to get a tetanus shot. She damn near jabbed the needle through the other side of my arm. At least I got out of there alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, there were these stories. I don't know if they were true. Cons love to talk, but we're all liars." Randall says.

"What kind of stories?" Dean asks.

"Guys would go up to the infirmary with a cold. Next thing you know, they're in a body bag. A whole rash of heart attacks – young guys, old guys." Randall explains.

"Heart attacks?" Sam repeats.

"Yeah. Story was Glockner had it out for cons and she did this, uh, Charles Bronson thing with a hypodermic. Anyway, that was the rumor. Nobody ever proved anything." Randall shakes his head.

"Whatever happened to Glockner?" Dean asks.

Randall shrugs, "I don't know. I finished my bit and left. Next time I landed back in here, she was gone."

* * *

Sam and Dean are sitting at a small table in the dining area. "Okay, so let's say those stories on Glockner were true." Sam says.

Dean nods, "It's a thought. You know, in life, she's a vigilante. In death, same thing."

"Right." Sam continues, "But then how's she tied in with the old cellblock? And if she's going after cons, why kill that one guard?"

"I did hear in the yard that that guard wasn't exactly squeaky clean, so, maybe she's going after anybody that breaks a law. Like me." Dean hypothesizes.

Sam blinks, "You 'heard in the yard'?"

Dean nods, "Yeah."

Sam scoffs, "Dean, does it... bother you at all, how easily you seem to fit in here?"

Dean shakes his head, "No, not really."

"All right. Well, listen, either way, we need more info on Glockner. If - if she's buried. If so, where? And, we got five hours to get it." Sam says.

Dean gives him a look and Sam immediately fights back, "No, no. Don't give me that look. Don't give me that "we got to see this thing through" look. We are leaving tonight, no matter what."

"I just don't want to let Deacon down, that's all. We do owe him." Dean says.

Sam shakes his head, "Yeah, but we don't owe him our lives, Dean. Isabeau doesn't need to be here any longer than she has to be. She's also risking her life by being here. The only woman in a prison full of men."

Dean's hands clench briefly at the thought of Isabeau being stuck in a place like this. He knew she was strong but they could never take that risk for too long.

After a few moments, Dean gets up.

"Where you going?" Sam asks.

Dean stops, "I'm gonna go talk with our lawyer."

Sam sighs, hitting the table with his knuckle.

* * *

Mara and Dean talking on phone handsets while sitting on opposite sides of a glass window. "You want me to what?" Mara asks, confused.

"Her name was Glockner. Okay, she worked here as a nurse in the '70s. Now, I need you to find out everything you can about her, but, most importantly how she died and where she's buried." Dean informs.

Mara looks at him in disbelief, "Are you nuts? Do you have any idea the kind of trouble you're in here?"

Dean purses his lips, "I have a vague notion."

Mara nods, "Good. So let's forget about some random nurse and talk about your case."

"Mara. It's Mara, right?" Dean asks.

She nods, "Yeah."

Dean nods, "I get that you're trying to help me, okay? I do, but believe me when I say that this is the best way that you can help."

"Really? How? Explain that to me." Mara asks.

Dean shakes his head, "I wish I could, but I can't. I'm just gonna have to ask you to trust me on this."

"Why should I? Henriksen says you're a monster." Mara says.

"I'm a monster? I'm – " Dean laughs, "Well, he's wrong, okay? I'm not what they say I am."

"Everybody says that." Mara jabs.

"Yeah. Look, if you're as smart a P.D. as I think you are, then you can tell with just one look whether or not your clients are guilty, okay, just like that. So I want you to look at me, really look, and you tell me – am I guilty?" Dean pauses, "We're not the bad guys."

Mara huffs out a small laugh, "I see why Fitzgerald defended you and your brother."

Dean smiles softly at Isabeau's name, "Yeah, you talked to her?"

Mara tilts her head at Dean's reaction, "Yeah… I had to. Henriksen thought she was missing. He was worried about her."

Dean hums, "How do they know each other?"

"From what I know, they worked together back when Fitzgerald first became an officer. He's quite fond of her." Mara explains.

Dean nods, his fist clenching.

* * *

Sam is walking across the red yard. He sees Dean enter the yard and holds up a hand to catch his attention, "She go for it?" He asks.

Dean shakes his head, "No. No, not so much. But, uh, maybe she'll still come around." He didn't mention Henriksen being buddies with Isabeau. That was a conversation for all three of them.

"Well, we can't wait around to find out." Sam says.

"We could give it another day." Dean suggests.

Sam shakes his head, "No, no, no. We're leaving tonight, and that's it."

"So we're not gonna finish the job, we're just gonna let these people die?" Dean says bitterly.

"Don't give me that, all right? This was your stupid plan. I went along with it, but we're sticking to the plan, Dean." Sam fights back.

Dean nods, "Okay. Uh, you leave. I'm gonna stay."

Dean starts to walk away.

"Hey, don't turn away. Don't turn away from me!" Sam follows, pissed.

Dean glances back, "Screw you."

"What?! Screw _you_!" Sam grabs Dean's shoulder and spins him around. Dean pushes Sam back. Isabeau grabs Sam from behind, cuffing him and the Warden grabs Dean as another guard rushes in.

"All right, hard case. I see the usual methods ain't gonna work with you." The Warden says, letting Dean go so the other guard could handcuff him. He looks at Sam, "You too, sweetheart."

A guard takes hold of Dean's arms from behind and the Warden walks in between the two brothers, letting Isabeau guide Sam inside.

* * *

The guard marches Dean and Sam into a large room, the Warden and Isabeau following.

The guard lets them go and turns toward the Warden. "Take off. We want to handle this alone." The Warden orders.

The guard nods and leaves.

Sam looks wary as the guard leaves.

The Warden steps menacingly close to Dean, then smiles and puts a hand on the side of Dean's neck. Isabeau smiles, fishing out her keys.

Dean chuckles, "Deacon, you are beating the holy hell out of me, man."

The Warden, Deacon, turns Dean so he can take off his handcuffs, "Sorry, Dean. I thought I was going easy on you." Dean chuckles, his cuffs coming off and Deacon continues, "Just, uh, trying to make it look real."

"Yeah. Well, mission accomplished." Dean comments.

Isabeau chuckles walking up to Sam, "Turn around, Stretch."

Sam complies, letting her take off the handcuffs, "Thanks."

Sam turns back around and the three stare at each other. Isabeau takes a deep breath, "Come here you two." She pulls the two brothers into a group hug and Sam and Dean both equally squeeze her in their hold.

It felt good to be in each other's arms again. Deacon watches them with a smile, "Played a pretty good guard there, Isabeau."

Isabeau chuckles, pulling away from her boyfriends and shrugs, "Eh, thought I could be a little tougher."

Deacon nudges her arm playfully, "So, is it over?" He asks them.

Sam shakes his head, "No. Turns out, it wasn't Moody."

Isabeau's shoulders drop at the news, "You're kidding?"

Sam sends her an apologetic look.

"What?" Deacon asks.

"Yeah." Sam confirms.

"Then who?" Isabeau crosses her arms.

"Uh, we think it's some nurse who used to work here, but we're still shy on all the intel we need." Sam explains.

Isabeau huffs, rubbing her temple, "Great."

"Which is why we should stick around until we find it." Dean repeats himself.

"Oh, hey guys." Deacon takes an envelope out of his jacket pocket.

Sam turns to his brother, annoyed, "You want to have this fight for real, Dean? We gotta go."

"I'm just say–" Dean starts.

"We gotta go now!" Sam exclaims.

"Guys." Deacon tries to interrupt, but fails. This time, Isabeau is rubbing her temple because of the two men in front of her.

Sam continues, "We're leaving, Dean. Otherwise, we'll be leaving in shackles for Milwaukee, with Henriksen as company."

Dean shakes his head, "Oh, come on."

Isabeau clears her throat, shouting, "Guys!"

Both brothers turn to her simultaneously, "What?!"

Isabeau's eyes widen and she holds out her keys threateningly, "See these?" She jingles the keys, "For the both of you if you guys don't stop fighting."

Deacon chuckles at Isabeau and looks at the boys, "Your lawyer left this for you." Deacon holds up the envelope and Dean takes it.

Dean chuckles, "Heh heh. Would you look at that. Man, I am freaking velvety smooth." Dean winks at Isabeau who just shakes her head fondly at him. She was impressed.

"You want to, maybe, open it up after, you know, you're done patting yourself on the back?" Sam asks.

Deacon is watching Sam, smiling. He leans over to Isabeau, "You deal with this everyday?"

Isabeau shrugs, "Yeah, but it's worth it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Dean opens the envelope and reads, "Wow."

"What? You want to share with the class, Dean?" Sam asks, jokingly.

"Glockner died in the old cellblock after Moody bit it. Seems they had a little inmate uprising. She got caught in the middle. They dragged her to a solitary cell and gave her a severe cerebral edema." Dean informs them.

Isabeau grimaces, "Someone bashed her head in."

Dean nods, "Yeah."

"Does it say where she's buried?" Sam asks.

"Yep."

Deacon nods, "All right, then, let's get you the hell out of here." Deacon walks over to the wall, the three of them following.

"Don't worry, Deacon. We'll get rid of this thing." Dean reassures.

Deacon removes a vent cover on a wall, "Good, 'cause I want it out of my prison."

The three of them nod and Deacon walks back over to them, "Boys, uh... I can't thank you enough for this. I know it was asking a lot but you still came through. Your daddy... raised you right."

Sam nods, "Well, we owed you."

Dean and Isabeau look at Sam.

Deacon nods, and looks over at Isabeau, "And thank you, little lady, for being my right hand. I'll say this, you're good at your job. Hunting and being a fake cop."

Isabeau shrugs sheepishly and waves a dismissive hand, "It was nothing, really. Glad I could put my fake credentials to good use."

Deacon smiles, "Yeah." He pulls Isabeau into a hug, then does the same to Sam and Dean, "Hope to see you again, huh? Just... not in here, okay?"

Sam chuckles, "Yeah, we'll do our best."

"Right." Dean says at the same time.

Sam, Isabeau and Dean head for the vent, then Dean turns back to Deacon, "Oh... Where do you want it?"

"What?" Deacon asks, confused.

Dean smiles.

Deacon smiles back, knowing what Dean meant, "Yeah, um…" He points to his cheek.

Dean pulls back his arm to swing a punch.

Deacon holds up a hand, "Um... Make it look real, son."

Dean chuckles and punches Deacon.

* * *

Outside the prison, Dean, Isabeau and Sam climb over railings outside the prison to the car.

"Oh, man, are you a sight for sore eyes." Dean says as he runs his hand along the impala. He and Sam open the driver and passenger doors and take off their prison jackets.

Isabeau takes off her guard jacket and also undoes the buttons of her shirts, slipping it off to reveal a black tank top underneath.

"You know, I almost wish I could see Henriksen's face." Dean says.

Isabeau bites her lip as she rolls up her shirt and jacket, tossing it into the backseat and grabbing her leather jacket instead.

"Really? 'Cause I'd be happy if I never saw him again. I mean, we're not really out of the woods yet, Dean, you know?" Sam says tightly.

Sam and Dean put on their own jackets over their prison jumpsuits as Isabeau slips on her own leather jacket.

"Yeah." Dean agrees.

An alarm sounds and a red light above one of the prison doors starts to flash. Isabeau swears, "Shit."

"Good point." Dean says, sliding into the driver's seat. Sam let's Isabeau get in first and quickly slides in after her, the three of them driving away.

* * *

Deacon is sitting at a table where Henriksen is leaning over the other side of the table and Reidy is standing nearby.

"I told you. One of them came up behind me." Deacon repeats himself.

"You let them get the drop on you." Henriksen says, not believing anything.

Deacon nods, "Yeah. I screwed up, all right? What do you want me to say?"

"I want to know where they're headed." Henriksen answers.

"How the hell would I know?"

"Let's start over again." Henriksen nods.

"For God's sake." Deacon stands up.

Henriksen walks around the table to stand face-to-face with him, angry, "Again. I want to know everything they did today, from the minute they woke up."

Deacon stares at him, "Got up. Breakfast. Visiting hours. Rec time."

Henriksen tilts his head, "Any visitors?"

"Just their lawyer."

Henriksen and Reidy exchange a look.

* * *

Mara is sitting in Henriksen and Reidy's office. "It's an easy question. What did you and Dean talk about?" Henriksen asks.

"I have already told you. It was a private conversation between me and my client." Mara says.

Henriksen leans on a desk, "Right, and just three hours later he just happened to bust out. Now, tell me, what he said."

* * *

Sam and Dean are taking shovels and bags out of the trunk of the impala as Isabeau holds a ball of fire in her hand for a light source. They are all wearing their normal clothes; though Isabeau still had her braids in, not wanting to waste time by undoing them.

They set off across the cemetery. "We got to move it. If Henriksen gets to the lawyer…" Sam trails off.

"I thought she couldn't say anything – you know, that whole lawyer-client privilege thing." Dean says.

Isabeau shakes her head, scoffing, "The privilege doesn't apply, Dean."

Dean glances at her, "So she'll talk?"

Isabeau nods, "She has to."

Dean groans, "Oh, that's freaking super."

* * *

Mara crosses her arms as Henriksen speaks to her, pissed, "Let me make this simple. You don't come clean, I will put you on the hook for aiding and abetting."

Mara raises her hands in disbelief, "Oh, that – that is ridiculous."

"You don't think that I can? You think this is some kind of game, lady? I am the last person on planet earth you want to screw with. Now, tell me what he said." Henriksen exclaims.

Mara sighs, "He wanted me to do some research. On a prison nurse that died in 1976."

Henriksen pushes off from the desk, confused, "What? Why?"

Mara shakes her head, "I don't know."

"What else?" Henriksen asks.

"They wanted to know where she was buried."

"Did you find out where?"

Mara nods, "Yeah."

"Did you tell them?" Henriksen asks.

"Yeah." Mara says again.

Henriksen takes a seat on his desk, "Tell me." Henriksen orders.

Mara stares at him.

* * *

Four police vehicles drive past the sign for Mountainside Cemetery.

* * *

Isabeau is standing over a grave holding her ball of fire while Sam and Dean are in the grave digging. The headstone in front of her reads "Dolores Glockner 1934 – 1976."

* * *

Many armed officers and Henriksen get out of the vehicles.

* * *

Sam and Dean reach the coffin and look up at Isabeau. "Got her." Sam says.

* * *

Deacon is washing his face at a row of sinks. The clock on the wall reads 8:33. The second hand advances two seconds, then stops moving.

The lights flicker and Deacon's breath becomes visible. He exhales again and turns around to see the ghost of Nurse Glockner is right in front of him. She opens her mouth wide and yells.

With a jerk of her head, the ghost sends Deacon flying across the room.

* * *

The officers, Henriksen and Reidy move quickly through the cemetery.

* * *

Now out of the grave, Sam salts Nurse Glockner's corpse and Dean pours on lighter fluid.

* * *

The officers, Henriksen and Reidy continue to move through the cemetery.

* * *

Deacon is on the floor. He turns over onto his back and the ghost moves closer to him. She puts a hand on his chest and he gasps, his body is shaking.

"You let those two go." The ghost rasps out.

Deacon's mouth is now wide open and his body jerks.

* * *

Isabeau smirks as she throws her ball of fire onto the corpse, letting it go up in flames as the three watch.

* * *

Dark veins spread across Deacon's face and he groans.

The ghost stands, and gasps, and goes up in flames.

When she's gone, the dark veins disappear from Deacon's face and he coughs, leaning up on an elbow.

* * *

The three watch the corpse burn, and each brother puts an arm around Isabeau; Dean's arm around her waist and Sam's arm over her shoulders.

* * *

The officers, Henriksen and Reidy are still searching the cemetery.

"Are you sure this is the right damn cemetery?" Henriksen asks Reidy.

"She said Mountainside. Mountainside Cemetery." Reidy responds.

* * *

The three are hurrying back to the impala, passing by a sign that reads, 'Green Valley Cemetery'.

* * *

Mara leaves the police station and walks to her car, smiling triumphantly.

* * *

Henriksen nods and smiles slightly in frustration. The Winchester's slipped through his fingers once again.

* * *

Dean, Isabeau and Sam put their equipment in the trunk of the impala and walk to the driver's and passenger's doors.

"You thought we were screwed before?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I know. We got to go deep this time." Dean says.

Isabeau scoffs, shoving her hands in her pockets, "'Deep,' Dean? You two should go to Yemen."

"Ooh, I'm – I'm not sure I'm ready to go that deep. And you'd be coming with us, sweetheart." Dean says with a smile.

Isabeau shakes her head, sliding into the impala, Sam and Dean following suit. Dean starts up the impala and the three of them drive away.

Dean clears his throat, "So you and Henriksen."

Isabeau winces, closing her eyes at Dean bringing him up.

Sam looks over in confusion at Dean, "What about Isabeau and Henriksen?"

Dean glances over at her as she plays with her rosary that she put back around her wrist, "Beau?"

Isabeau takes a breath, "Well…"

* * *

Isabeau groans as she falls backwards into Dean's chest. She was laying ontop of Dean as they lay longways on the front seat of the impala. "So, after a few cases after becoming an "honorary officer", I had a case with Henriksen." She starts as Sam leans back against the backseat passenger door, facing his brother and girlfriend.

Dean wraps his arms around Isabeau's middle, "So you guys met when you were only, what, 20?" Dean asks.

Isabeau winces, "19 actually. I was in town and the sheriff asked if I could help out. Of course Henriksen and I met and we worked well together. Nothing happened!" She quickly says.

Sam blinks, "I hope not, the guy is like 20 years older than us."

Isabeau nods, "And has ex wives." She waves her hand, "But, anyway. We got close in the friendship way. I guess you can say he sort of saw me as like a daughter figure? He was impressed that I could do what I could at such a young age and respected me."

She starts undoing her braid on her left side, "We sort of lost contact though he always checked in if I was working a case near his office."

Isabeau frowns, "The irony in all of this. I'm just glad I never told him about my childhood with you guys. Now that would raise some red flags."

She fully undoes the first half of her french braids. She goes to undo the other half but Dean beats her to it, undoing it himself.

She smiles a little, finding it cute that Dean was concentrating at undoing her hair. She never really did her hair in any styles, always leaving it down and natural. So, having tight braids in her hair sort of hurt and she wanted to undo them desperately.

Sam nods, "Think he suspects anything?" He asks.

Isabeau purses her lips, "I don't think so. I still need to call him at some point to let him know that I'm fine and working some random case in Sioux Falls. Oh…" She trails off as Dean's fingers massage her scalp when he fully undoes the other braid.

Dean chuckles as she leans into his touch, humming in content. "That feels… so good." Isabeau closes her eyes with a smile.

Sam smiles, "We should get some sleep and then head out when the sun comes up."

Isabeau hums, curling into Dean's chest as his fingers still massage her scalp, "Sounds good to me."

Dean's eyes soften as he continues his actions, lulling Isabeau to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, not my favorite so far, but I still think I did a pretty good job on it. Excited for the next episode, I'm basically rewriting it and I am loving all the little notes that I'm making on it so far.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	43. What Is and What Should Never Be Pt.1

Dean is driving the impala which has new plates. His cell phone rings. He glances down and picks it up, "Yeah?"

* * *

Sam is looking out the window of their motel room, holding back the curtains, "There's a cop car outside."

Isabeau glances up as she's flipping through her grimoire. She jumps a little bit when a pair of hands start massaging her shoulders.

She looks up to see a woman her age with very short strawberry blonde hair, electric blue eyes and wearing clothes that are similar to hunters. But, on her right arm, which was exposed, was covered in blue swirls tattoos that started from her hand and went all the way up to her shoulder.

Isabeau places her hand on top of the woman's hand, "Thanks, Ava."

Ava smiles softly, "Any time, Isa." She leans down, placing a light kiss on Isabeau's forehead.

"You think it's for us?" Dean asks Sam over the phone.

"I don't know." Sam answers, still staring at the cop car.

"I don't see how. I mean we ditched the plates, the credit cards. Isabeau told Hendriksen that she's on the other side of the country." Dean explains.

The cop car drives away and Sam breathes out in relief, "They're leaving. False alarm." He moves away from the window and switches the phone to speaker so that Isabeau and Ava could hear.

"Well, see. Nothing to worry about." Dean reassures.

Isabeau scoffs, letting Ava still massage her shoulders, "Yeah, you two being fugitives? Frigging dance party."

Dean grins, "I thought you digged the danger vibe, sweetheart."

Isabeau smiles to herself and Ava can't help but chuckle.

Sam shakes his head and stands in front of the pile of books on the table. They're all about a specific demon called Djinn, and on top of them is John's journal, open on the same subject, "So you got anything yet?" He asks.

"Are you kidding me? How could I? You got me sifting through like 50 square miles of real estate here." Dean says.

"Well, that's where all the victims disappeared." Sam says.

"Yeah well, I got diddly-squat. What about you guys?" Dean asks them.

Ava removes her hands from Isabeau's shoulders and crosses her arms, "Just one thing. We're pretty sure of it now." She pulls one book forward, "We're hunting a Djinn."

Dean blinks, "A freaking genie?"

Ava rolls her eyes at the word 'genie'. Isabeau hides a chuckle. She knew that Ava hated it when humans mixed up the two. Isabeau couldn't blame her, Ava was half djinn so she had to constantly correct people.

"Yeah." Sam furrows his brow at Ava.

Dean chuckles, "What? You think these suckers can really grant wishes?"

Ava clears her throat, "Yep. We can."

Sam silently mouths an 'oh' in understanding and Dean goes silent for a moment, "Wait, you're half genie, Ava?"

"Djinn, De. I'm half djinn. And yes, we are powerful enough. But, not exactly like Barbara Eden in harem pants. I mean, regular Djinn's have been feeding off people for centuries. They're all over the Koran." Ava explains.

"My God. Barbara Eden was hot, wasn't she? Way hotter than that Bewitched chick." Isabeau comments with a smirk and in response, Ava wacks her in the back of the head and gives her a warning glare.

Isabeau rubs her head as she looks over at Sam who is giving her a look as well. Isabeau shrugs sheepishly, "Sorry."

Sam just smiles a little and Dean chuckles on the other line, then clears his throat, "Yeah. So uh, where do the Djinns lair up?"

Sam licks his lips, "Ruins usually. Uh. Bigger the better – more places to hide."

"You know, I think I saw a place a couple miles back. I'm gonna go check it out." Dean informs the three of them.

Isabeau immediately slams her grimoire closed, "Wait – no, no, no, no, no. Come pick us up first."

"Naw, I'm sure it's nothing. I just wanna take a look around." Dean says and hangs up the phone.

Sam lowers his hand with the phone in it and sighs.

Isabeau bites her lip and fiddles with her rosary.

* * *

Outside a factory, the Impala pulls up and comes to a stop.

Dean enters, with a flashlight, swinging open a creaky door. He walks through what appears to be an abandoned office, with typewriter, file cabinets and more. There's a dripping water sound, but otherwise it appears empty to him.

On his right among all the old things and such, there's a figure watching him.

Dean stops in the hall, feeling like someone is watching him and gets his knife ready. He jumps to the other side of the hall, ready to attack but sees nothing there.

Dean looks back and forth in it a few times, and then starts walking back the same direction he came from but this time in the hall.

Suddenly it attacks him, pinning him against the window wall. Dean drops the flashlight and the Djinn slams Dean's right hand up against a wall, forcing him to drop his knife.

The Djinn, who is bald, with curling blue tattoos all over its face, opens its left hand, which begins to glow in blue. At the same time, the Djinn's eyes begin glowing.

The Djinn puts its glowing hand on Dean's forehead and Dean's eyes roll up, and take on a faint blue hue.

* * *

Inside a large bedroom, the TV is showing an old black and white movie of a monster carrying an unconscious woman.

Dean wakes up, bare-chested, and wearing a necklace that is not the amulet. He looks over and sees Isabeau naked with the covers just above her breasts.

Her long white hair was sprawled out around her head. Her rosary is no longer wrapped around her right wrist, but is wrapped around her neck twice, the longest part of it resting in between her breasts.

* * *

Dean, now dressed, walks down the stairs of the house into the living room. He looks around and finds his cellphone on one of the side tables.

When Dean dials Sam's number, he hears another phone ring in the house. He looks around confused and the ringing stops.

"Dude..." Sam comes walking in from the kitchen, his hair a little disheveled and looking at Dean with confused, tired eyes.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Sam asks and then he holds up his phone, "And why are you calling me?"

"Sam, where are we?" Dean asks, setting down his phone.

Sam stares at Dean, "Have you been drinking again, Dean? If you need some help, you know Isabeau and I can help you."

Dean shakes his head, "No, I haven't been drinking, where are we?"

Sam sighs, walking back into the kitchen, grabbing a water from the fridge, "In our house, Dean."

Dean blinks, "Our house?"

Sam nods, "Yeah, it's been our house for the past three years. Remember? We bought the place shortly after we got engaged to Isabeau."

Dean stutters, "E-Engaged?!"

Dean then notices the wedding band around Sam's ring finger. He looks down at his own hand and sees a matching one on his own, "We married, Beau?"

Sam frowns sadly at his brother, "Are you sure you haven't been drinking, man?"

Dean shakes his head, still staring at the ring, "No… no."

"Then what's going on?" Sam asks, concerned.

"Well, the uh, the Djinn. It attacked me." Dean explains, tearing his gaze away from the wedding ring on his finger.

Sam raises a brow, "The gin? Come on, Dean. Be honest. I know you don't drink often, but this is a little scary. And even when you do drink, it's never this late."

Dean shakes his head, "No, asshat." Sam blinks in surprise at the name. Dean continues, "The Djinn. The... scary creature. Remember? It put its hand on me and then I woke up... next to Isabeau."

Sam nods, now finally understanding, "I get it now."

Dean smiles, "Thank you."

"Yeah," Sam continues, "You had a few drinks, which is fine and you went through some of Isabeau's lore books that she uses for her art. I get it, dude. I mean, imagine what it would be like reading those books high."

Dean waves his hands, "I am not drunk. Quit screwing around!"

Sam sighs, "Look, it's late. All right, let's just get some sleep."

"Loves?" A groggy voice calls from the bottom of the stairs. Sam and Dean look over to see Isabeau, who has put on a black silk robe.

Dean saw that not only was her right sleeve still there but also had her left arm done as well. He could see that her white lily tattoo was still there and he wondered if the black mamba tattoo was still there.

She rubs at her tired eyes, "What's going on?"

Sam smiles softly at her and walks up to her, placing a soft kiss on her lips, "Nothing, Beau. Dean and I were just talking."

Isabeau hums and smiles at Dean. She turns to Sam, "Go back up, we'll be there in a bit."

Sam nods, giving her one last kiss on her temple and walking up the stairs to the three's shared bedroom.

Isabeau watches Sam go up the stairs and when he's gone from her sight, she turns to Dean, crossing her arms, "What's going on?"

Dean shakes his head, "I don't know. Beau, please, you gotta remember."

Isabeau tilts her head, walking over to him, "Remember what, Dean?"

"The Djinn. We were hunting it. You called up Ava to help us." Dean recalls.

Isabeau's arms unfold and she narrows her eyes at Dean, "A djinn? Dean, were you going through my lore books and dreamt this up?"

"No! Beau, I wasn't dreaming." Dean exclaims.

Isabeau smiles and shakes her head, "I seriously think you've been around my books for too long. Maybe after tomorrow, we can all take a week off? Take a roadtrip to California back to my parents. Maybe even camping? Take your mind off things. You've been working like crazy."

Dean just stares at her, not believing that she wasn't reacting to any of this.

Isabeau softly smiles and places small kisses leading up from his neck, to his chin and then finally to his lips.

Even though everything was confusing, and almost didn't seem real, Isabeau's lips felt the same. Dean sinks into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

Isabeau hums in content into the kiss, her hands cupping Dean's face. She pulls her lips away from his, "How does that sound? Just the three of us. On the road for a week? We rarely get to do it."

Dean stares deep into her eyes, "Yeah, it sounds amazing, Beau." He says the only thing that came to mind.

"Good. But, let's head to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow." Isabeau says, grabbing his hand.

"I'll be up in a bit, sweetheart." Dean says, lifting up their joined hands and looking down at Isabeau's wedding ring, or should he say wedding _rings_. It was two seperate natural black diamond wedding rings that combined into one. He kisses them lovingly.

Isabeau nods, and heads back up the stairs to join Sam in bed and to wait for her other husband.

Dean watches Isabeau leave and frowns. He looks over and sees a pile of mail on the table and picks them up.

Isabeau Fitzgerald MacLeod-Winchester

53 Barker Ave

Lawrence, KS 66044

"Lawrence?" Dean questions aloud.

The next two envelopes are addressed to Dean and Sam, same address as Isabeau's.

"What the hell?" He sets them down.

Dean goes to a bookshelf, sees a photo of Isabeau who was covered in paint and laughing, and another of Sam and Dean embracing Isabeau.

He turns and sees another photo that shocks him. He goes over to pick it up and drops it in disbelief. The glass shatters as it breaks, and Dean turns on his heel, leaving the room.

* * *

Dean drives up in the impala across the street. He shuts off the engine and goes over to the old Winchester house from his childhood.

He bangs on the door and rings the bell two times as well. The porch light turns on and the door opens, "Dean." His mother, Mary looks at him, concerned.

Dean just stares at her a few seconds, not believing his eyes. His voice is broken when he talks to her, on the verge of crying, "Mom?"

Mary reaches out to her son, "What are you doing here? Are you all right?"

"I don't know." Dean answers.

"Well... come inside." Mary says, letting the door open and backing up.

Dean comes in and Mary closes the door. He can't take his eyes of her as she walks into the other room.

"Isabeau just called and said you just... took off all of a sudden. Her and Sam are worried about you." Mary informs him.

"Isabeau... Right…" Dean trails off, "Let me ask you a question. When I was a kid, what did you always tell me when you put me to bed?"

Mary shakes her head, "Dean, I don't understand -"

"Just answer the question." Dean says firmly.

"I told you angels were watching over you." Mary answers

"I don't believe it." Dean walks over and hugs her tightly.

Mary hugs back, confused, "Honey, you're scaring me." Dean backs off. "Now just tell me what's going on." Mary continues.

"You don't think that wishes can, can really…" Dean stutters.

"What?" Mary asks.

"Forget it." Dean hugs her again, "Forget it. I'm just uh... I'm happy to see you, that's all." He almost starts crying but pulls it together and releases the hug, looking down on Mary, "You're beautiful." He laughs a little.

Mary faintly smiles, "What?"

Dean clears his throat, "Hey, when I was uh... When I was young was there ever a fire here?" He walks towards the wall, looking at the books and pictures.

"No. Never." Mary answers.

"I thought there was."

Dean sees a picture of John and Mary smiling with Dean and Sam as little kids in front of them.

Dean smiles a little, "I guess I was wrong."

We see another picture of Dean in a cap, looking cool into the camera.

There was a series of pictures; one of both Sam and Dean both having their arms wrapped around Isabeau's waist, all three of them dressed up clearly for their high school prom.

Another one as Sam as a graduate with both Isabeau and Dean at his sides smiling happily into the camera.

The last one in the series was of him and Sam both dressed in tuxedos and Isabeau in a gorgeous wedding dress; it was their wedding photo.

Dean picks up another picture. It's in black and white and shows John, dressed in baseball clothes with a cap and a baseball bat in his hand, ready to swing, smiling at the camera.

"Dad's on a softball team." Dean says to himself and he turns around, to see Mary looking at him seriously, "Dad's... Dad's softball team. It's... That's funny to me."

Mary looks down at the photo, "He loved that stupid team."

"Dad's dead? And the thing that killed him was a…" Dean says.

"A stroke. He died in his sleep. You know that." Mary says.

Dean nods, "That's great."

Mary shakes her head, "Excuse me?"

"That - that's great. That he went peacefully, I mean. It sure beats the alternative." Dean says, looking back down at the photo.

"You've been drinking." She frowns a little. She knew that Dean wasn't a big drinker, but sometimes he does get a little carried away. Usually Isabeau or Sam stops him.

Dean shakes his head, putting down the photo, "No, I haven't. Mom."

"I'm just gonna call Isabeau and have her and Sam come pick you up, Ok?" Mary reaches for the phone.

"Wait. No, no!" Dean puts his hand over Mary's which is over the phone about to pick it up.

"Don't - don't do that. Don't do that. I wanna stay here." Dean begs.

"Why?"

"Because I-I miss the place." Dean smiles reassuringly, "It's okay, you - you go to bed. Okay?"

He goes over to the couch, sits down, and looks around a bit. Mary walks up to him, strokes his face tenderly, "Are you sure you're all right?"

Dean nods, "I think so."

"Okay." She bends down and kisses his forehead, like all mothers do. She starts out the room, stops by the door, "Get some rest. I love you."

"Me too." Dean replies.

She smiles and then goes to bed. Dean stays on the couch, looking perplexed and sees a new photo on one of the side tables. It was a photo of both his family and Isabeau's family.

John, Mary, Yvette and Bartholmieu were clustered together, arms around each other like they were the best of friends. Sam, Isabeau and Dean had their arms around each other as well, sitting down on a bench. And finally, Alphonse, Eugene and Dion were sitting down in front of them, everyone smiling at the camera. They were one big happy family.

* * *

Dean wakes up on the couch to the sound of birds singing outside. When his eyes focus, he sees a picture of the whole family; the boys as kids and John is wearing a Santa hat, looking very happy.

Dean opens his eyes completely, sitting up, confused. He dials his phone.

* * *

Inside Isabeau, Sam and Dean's home, Isabeau's phone rings on the nightstand but the sound of the shower drowns out the call.

Isabeau's laughter echoes in the bathroom, mixing with Sam's chuckles, "Naughty, Beau."

"Well, what are you going to do about it, Mr. Winchester?" Isabeau asks, biting her lip.

Sam continues to chuckle, "Dean and I will discuss that later, Mrs. Winchester."

* * *

Isabeau's voice rings out, "Hey, it's me. I can't come to the pho-"

Dean hangs up.

* * *

"Well I don't think I've seen you in my class before." The Professor says, sitting at his desk with Dean sitting right across from him.

"You kiddin' me? I love your lectures. You…" Dean points his finger at the professor, "You make learning fun."

They laugh. "So. What can I do for you?" The Professor asks.

"What can you tell me about Djinns?" Dean asks.

* * *

Dean and the Professor are standing over a bunch of books. "Well, a lot of Muslims believed the Djinn are very real. And they're mentioned in the Koran—" The Professor explains.

Dean nods, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Get to the wish part."

"What about it?" The Professor asks.

"Do you think they could really do it?" Dean asks.

The Professor stares at him for a moment, "Um... Uh, no. No, I don't think they can 'really do it'. You understand these are mythic creatures?"

Dean stutters, "Yeah, I know. I-I-I know. I know. But uh... I mean in the stories. You know, say you had a wish, uh. But you never even said it out loud. Like that, uh... that a loved one never died. Or that, uh, something awful never happened."

The Professor nods, "Supposedly, yes. I mean they have godlike power. They can alter reality however they want. Past. Present. Future."

"Why would the Djinn do it? What, self-defense? Or maybe it's not really evil." Dean asks aloud. Ava was part Djinn. Maybe he could find her through Isabeau and ask more questions.

"Son?"

"Hm?" Dean hums.

"You been drinking?" The Professor asks.

Dean looks over, "Everybody keeps asking me that. But uh... No."

Professor hums, "You know, I have a woman that comes in her all the time, asking some similar questions."

Dean narrows his eyes, "Really?"

The Professor nods, "Yes, her name is, uh, ah, Isabeau Fitzgerald MacLeod-Winchester… try saying that five times fast."

Dean furrows his brow. Questions flooded his mind; Did Isabeau still hunt? Was she still a hybrid? Was she still searching for yellow eyes?

* * *

Outside the campus, Dean opens the trunk to the impala and where there's only old magazines and paper cups and a rag in there, no guns or other weapons.

Dean laughs, "Well, who'd'a thought, baby. We're civilians." He closes the trunk, and looks over at the building.

A girl is standing in a white shirt, skirt and shoes, staring at him. Dean's smile fades as he senses something. He looks at her for a little while and then starts to cross the street, walking towards her.

Suddenly a car screeches to a halt as it avoids running into Dean. The driver hits the horn and Dean holds out his hand as he looks at the car. When he turns back towards the girl, she's gone. He looks puzzled for a moment, then turns back to the impala.

* * *

Inside the old house, Dean takes a bite out of a big sandwich, grunting because of how good it is, "Mmm. Mmm. Mmm!" Dean calls out, mouth full, "This is the best sandwich, ever!"

"Thank you." Mary says from the other room.

Dean calls out again, "I tried to get hold of Isabeau earlier. You know, to explain why I left."

"She's probably busy with her job. I know that her job has been sending her out of state as well and she's making sure that she doesn't have to leave for a while." Mary explains.

Dean nods, "Yeah… when Isabeau comes back home. Does she come back home injured? Cuts, bruises… bullet wounds."

Mary's spoon clunks loudly in the sink as she stares forward, away from Dean's vision. She licks her lips nervously and clutches her cup. Isabeau would've never told Sam or Dean what she is. She wanted a normal life for them and Mary respected her daughter-in-law's decision.

Mary puts on a comforting smile and walks over to Dean with her coffee, changing the subject, "Sweetie, I–I... Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled you are... hanging out here... all of a sudden." She quickly strokes Dean's chin, "But uh... shouldn't you be at work?"

"Work?" Dean questions, not forgetting that his mother brushed over his question.

Mary raises her brows, "At the garage?"

Dean nods, "Right. The garage. It's where I work, yeah. No, I-I–I've got the day off." He snickers, "Heh. Good thing."

He takes another bite, again, grunting because of how good it is. He looks to the window.

Dean gets up, leaving his sandwich and looks out the window, "That lawn looks like it could use some mowing."

"You want to mow the lawn?" Mary asks.

Dean grins with some of the sandwich in his mouth, "You kidding me? I'd love to mow the law."

"Knock yourself out. You'd think you'd never mowed a lawn in your life." Mary comments, taking a sip of her coffee.

Dean shrugs, apparently thinking that no, he never has mowed a lawn. He looks all kinds of happy about the prospect of doing so.

* * *

Dean starts the lawn mower and starts to mow the lawn, looking really happy, enjoying it. He's not very adept at it.

He sees the neighbor across the street putting out the garbage. He waves to him like a regular guy does in this regular world. The neighbor waves back, telegraphing 'surprise' with his wave, and then Dean continues the mowing.

* * *

Dean is sitting on the steps to the front porch, drinking a beer, feeling happy. He looks over when he hears a car approaching. It's a black 1958 Chevrolet impala convertible with it's top, down.

Dean smiles as he sees Sam and Isabeau sitting in the car, "I don't believe it." If Isabeau had her Sweetheart, then she has to be in contact with Bobby. He gave her Sweetheart for her 18th birthday.

He gets up to go greet Sam and Isabeau who are getting out of the car. "Dean!" Isabeau runs up to him, throwing his arms around him, squeezing him tightly, "What's going on? Why did you just leave last night?"

Dean squeezes back, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Just wanted to spend time with mom."

Isabeau chuckles, "Can't blame you for that." She pulls away and Dean takes in what she's wearing. It's a little different from what she usually wore; it was a black button up with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, exposing her tattoos, black skinny jeans with a few rips in them and ankle black boots.

She still wore her multitude of rings and earrings, and her rosary which was now around her neck and no longer on her right wrist. That part threw Dean off a little bit.

Isabeau notices that he's staring and consciously looks down, "Yeah, I know it's not my usual wear, but-"

"Still beautiful, sweetheart." Dean comments, placing a kiss on her lips.

Sam comes up and pats Dean's shoulder, "You sure you're okay?"

Dean and Isabeau pull away from their kiss and Dean nods, "Yeah, I'm good."

Isabeau hums, "Sorry we're a little late. Stretch had to send some last-minute emails to his Professor's. Our little lawyer finished his work."

Dean chuckles, "Stanford. Online classes?"

Sam narrows his eyes, "Yeah, we decided it would be the best choice to do online. Isabeau did the same for her art history degree."

Sam chuckles, motioning to the beer in Dean's hand, "I see you started off Mom's birthday with a bang."

Isabeau chuckles, "Usually I'm the one to start it." She subconsciously moves her hand to her stomach, rubbing at it softly. Neither brother notices the action.

Dean blinks, "Wait. Mom's birthday, that's, that's today?"

Sam and Isabeau exchange a worried look. Sam shifts, "Yeah. Yeah, Dean. That's today. That's why we're here. Don't tell me you forgot."

Dean looks nonplussed, "Wha…"

* * *

They're all sitting at a round table in a fancy restaurant that Dean was used to seeing Isabeau dress up for.

Dean gets served a plate with asparagus spears bound into an upright sheaf, "Wow, that... looks awesome." He trails off.

Isabeau laughs from between him and Sam, who chuckles as well. Sam clears his throat, "All right. To Mom." He raises his glass, "Happy birthday."

Everyone follows suit and Isabeau smiles, "Happy birthday."

Mary smiles at the three of them, "Thank you." They all clink their glasses in a cheer.

"To mom." Dean comments, taking a sip of his drink.

As Dean watches Sam and Isabeau kiss and he smiles. He couldn't believe it; both him and Sam married Isabeau. They still grew up together, still were best friends as they were lovers.

Isabeau leans over to Dean when she was done kissing Sam, "I was really worried about you last night."

Dean gives her a comforting smile, "Oh I'm ... I'm good. I'm really good."

Isabeau nods with a smile, "Okay. What do you say, later we get you a cheeseburger?" She says, knowing that this type of food wasn't his cup of tea.

"Oh God, yes." Dean says.

Isabeau smiles, knowing that would make him happy.

Dean stares into her baby blue eyes and licks his lips. His heart was racing and seeing Isabeau in a beautiful short black satin dress didn't help his case, "How did I get so lucky to be with you?"

Isabeau purses her lips with a faint smile, "I think I should be asking that, Dearie."

He laughs and kisses her. Sam glances over watching the two; he smiles. Even with Dean acting a little weird the past couple of days, he was happy to see Dean be his regular self.

Dean and Isabeau pull away and Isabeau bites her lip, not wanting to hold back her surprise any longer.

Isabeau clears her throat and nervously fiddles with her rosary, "I actually have another surprise for Mary's birthday." She pulls out two small boxes, handing one to each of her husbands.

Sam and Dean looked down at the boxes, perplexed. They slowly open them and when they take off the lids, both of them are frozen.

Mary smiles in anticipation, "What? What is it?"

Sam begins to chuckle, pulling out a photo from an ultrasound. Dean pulls out a similar one. Two little dark spots that indicated two embryos.

Isabeau smiles, "I'm pregnant with twins." She announces. Dean's eyes immediately look down to Isabeau's stomach while Isabeau was rubbing it softly.

Sam instantly places his hand on top of Isabeau's and there's a few tears coming to his eyes, "We're going to be parents?" He asks for himself and Dean.

Mary laughs happily, "Oh my God! That's so wonderful." She gets up and hugs Isabeau, who's also gotten up.

Sam gets up as well, while Dean still sits.

"Congratulations." Mary says to Isabeau, placing a motherly kiss on her daughter-in-laws cheek.

"Thank you." Isabeau smiles, her heart fluttering at all the excitement.

Mary walks over and hugs Sam, "I just wish your dad was here."

Sam smiles sadly as they pull away, "Yeah. Me too."

Mary hugs Dean as he gets up from his seat, "Congratulations, Dean. You're going to be a wonderful father."

Dean smiles, letting out a small chuckle, "Thanks, mom." He mulls over the word father as Mary pulls away from their hug.

Mary smiles and goes back over to Isabeau, "Now let me see those ultrasounds, Isa. I want to see my grandbabies."

Isabeau chuckles as she hears the nicknames that only a certain group of people in life call her, and Mary was the one exception.

Sam pulls Dean in for a brotherly hug, breaking Dean out of his trance, "We're going to be father's, Dean. Can you believe it?"

Dean chuckles, giving Sam a hardy slap on Sam's back, "No I can't." The two brothers pull away, "But I'm happy for all of us." Dean says sincerely with a smile.

Sam tilts his head at his brother, not expecting the sincerity.

Over Sam's shoulder, Dean sees the same girl that he saw on campus earlier, when he was almost hit by a car. She looks much filthier this time. Dean's smile fades, he brushes past Sam and walks over.

Sam turns around when Dean hits his shoulder while passing by. Dean passes a lot of people and when he passes the last one, the girl is gone.

Dean turns around and looks at his family, as they stand looking at him, wondering what's up. Isabeau frowns a little, her hand over her stomach. She was worried for her husband.

* * *

As they enter the old Winchester house, the two women laugh as they enter.

Sam looks at his brother in concern as they walk into the living room, letting their wife and mother talk, "So, Dean, what was uh... what was all that back at the restaurant?" He asks.

Dean stutters, "Ah... I-I thought I saw someone. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Well, I had a lovely birthday. Thank you. Good night." Mary announces, saying goodbye to the three of them.

"Good night." Isabeau says, sending a loving kiss her mother-in-laws way.

Dean smiles, "Good night."

Sam smiles as well, "Night, Mom."

When Mary leaves, Sam wraps his long arms around Isabeau, being careful of her stomach, "Yeah, well I'm beat. Ready to turn in?" Sam asks both of them, giving a smirk to Isabeau.

Isabeau smiles softly, placing a kiss on his chin, "I know for a fact, none of us will be sleeping tonight."

Sam chuckles, "Right about that love." He grabs Isabeau's keys in her hand, "I'm going to go start the car."

Sam removes his arms and then points at Dean, "We need to talk, because this one was being naughty this morning."

Dean blinks in surprise as Sam slaps Isabeau's ass and smirks at them when he leaves. From last Dean remembered, the three of them were just getting used to the act of both Dean and Sam having sex with Isabeau together, he didn't know that in this new reality it was much more developed.

Isabeau just shakes her head and wraps her arms around Dean's waist, looking up at him. She reaches up and caresses his cheek, "Are you sure you're okay?" She was still concerned for Dean. He wasn't acting like his usual self.

Dean faintly smiles, "I'm great, sweetheart. Just, overwhelmed is all."

Isabeau nods, understanding, "I know, two babies are going to be a handful."

Dean chuckles and bites his lip, "Let's go celebrate, sweetheart. Of course no drinks for you, but why don't you call up your coven? Have a big get together?" Dean asks.

Isabeau freezes at the word coven. She stares at him, confused and also fearful. How could he know? She kept it a secret for her entire life. He shouldn't know, neither of her husbands should know.

Isabeau swallows thickly, "Dean, I don't know what you're talking about."

Dean frowns, "What do you mean? Your coven. The girls. All the hybrids... What about Bobby and Ellen, your godparents?"

Isabeau licks her lips, putting on a smile, "Dean, I really think you should step away from my books. It's getting to your head, and it's making me worried."

She steps away, grabbing his hand, "Come on, let's go home. We can start packing for our trip."

Dean nods numbly, letting Isabeau drag him out of the house.

His heart broke; he loved his witch. He loved her using her powers, her fire, it was a part of her. A part that he never admitted, but he loved it. He would love Isabeau with or without her powers, but hearing her deny all of it was heartbreaking.


	44. What Is and What Should Never Be Pt.2

Dean is sitting on the sofa in their living room, thinking with a furrowed brow. Sam offers him a beer, "You look like you need it."

Dean smiles gratefully and takes a sip, "Where's Isabeau?"

Sam takes a seat next to his brother, "Getting dressed. The museum got a new collection of paintings and Isabeau is going in to take a look at them."

Dean nods, and his eyes catch a photo of Isabeau. It was a group photo of Isabeau and fifteen other girls all sitting or standing on top of a van. All of them wearing swimsuits or cover ups. What stood out to Dean the most was the same blacked out butterfly tattoo on all their hips.

He gets up and goes to pick up the photo. It was the same exact one that Isabeau showed them last year.

Sam smiles at his brother and photo from his spot, "I remember when we took that photo. We all took a trip to California so that Isabeau could meet up with her friends from middle school."

"Yosemite National Park." Dean recalls.

Sam nods, "Yeah. That was a fun trip. You know... we should all take a break. Especially with Isabeau now pregnant."

Dean sets down the photo while Sam continues, "Go see her parents and the girls. Enjoy some free time before we got two little ones running around."

Dean huffs out a chuckle, "I still can't believe it... we're gonna be parents."

Sam chuckles as well, "I know, dude. You know we're gonna have to go house hunting. We need more rooms for the kids."

The sound of footsteps makes Dean turn around. Isabeau comes into the living room in her casual clothing, her usual band t-shirt, ripped jeans, combat boots; the works, "All right. I shouldn't be too long. They just need me to look at a few things, sign some papers and I'll be back before you know it."

She moves around as she speaks, picking up their mail and setting it aside and finally going over to a door which Dean only guesses lead to the basement, making sure that it was locked. She smiles when the door doesn't open at her attempt.

Dean narrows his eyes at the door as Isabeau walks over to kiss Sam and whispers something in his ear.

Sam smiles with a nod and Isabeau makes her way over to Dean, placing a kiss on his own lips, "Be good. And start packing! We should head out by tomorrow afternoon."

Isabeau pulls away, grabbing her keys and jacket, waving goodbye to her husbands.

Sam leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees, "Well, I'm gonna head up and start packing. You coming?" He says getting up from his spot on the couch.

Dean nods, waving a dismissive hand at him, "Yeah, I'll be up in second."

Sam stares at his brother for a moment and then nods, "Okay." He walks out of the living room, glancing back at his brother one last time and heading up the stairs.

* * *

Dean shakes his head and sits back down on the couch, putting his feet on the table, drinking beer and watching TV.

" _The olive oil must have a purpose here."_ The woman on the TV says.

" _Yeah."_ The man responds.

" _Yeah?"_ The woman repeats.

" _I'll take the olive oil and we'll just put a, just a touch of olive oil, okay? That's all."_ The man explains.

" _Oh."_

The man continues, " _Can't make any mistakes with this machine. Now, for liquid, I could use water but I'm gonna use a little spinach -"_

Dean changes the channel to the stock market, cartoon, and then the news; a plane lands and a reporter speaks, "And today marks the anniversary of the crash of United Britannia Flight 424."

This gets Dean's attention and he leans forward as he continues to watch. The reporter continues, "Indianapolis residents held a candlelight vigil in memory of the hundred and eight people who lost their lives…"

Dean stares at the tv in disbelief, "No, no. I stopped that crash."

* * *

Dean is in front of his laptop reading headlines that relate to cases he has solved.

_Indianapolis Sun, December 5TH, 2005 - FLIGHT 424 CRASHES, 108 DEAD; Tragedy shocks the nation, as emergency crews continue to search rubble._

_Nine Children Revived from Comatose; ... Mystery illness still baffles doctors at Dane County Hospital._

Dean tilts his head at that one. The children were still saved… Did Isabeau do something?

_Parents mutilated in bed… Brutal double homicide in quiet residential area causes shock._

_GIRL DROWNS IN HOTEL POOL; Mother devastated after discovering daughter drowned._

He catches a glimpse of a passing figure, a woman in white; maybe the same woman he has seen twice now. He gets up to see what it is.

* * *

Dean walks into the shared bedroom and nods at Sam who is packing his clothes.

Sam glances over and smiles, "Come to finally pack, huh? I already took out some of Beau's stuff and I grabbed a suitcase for you from the attic."

Deanforcefully smiles, "Thanks, just uh, packing a little tonight."

Sam nods in understanding and makes his way into the master bathroom, picking out what he could pack away for the night,

Dean opens his bedroom closet door and sees several female corpses, hanging. He hears a sound and turns around to see another woman, with a wound in her head, flickering in front of him.

He pants, looking shocked, and turns back around to the closet to see nothing out of the ordinary.

* * *

Dean is standing by John's grave. Written on it is:

JOHN E. WINCHESTER

1954-2006

LOVING HUSBAND & FATHER

REMEMBERED FOREVER

"All of them... Everyone that you saved, everyone Sammy, Beau and I saved. Most of them are all dead. And there's this woman, that's haunting me. I don't know why." Dean says.

Dean shakes his head, "I don't know what the connection is, not yet anyway. It's like my old life is, is coming after me or something. Like it like it doesn't want me to be happy. Course I know what you'd say. Well, not the you that played softball but... 'So go hunt the Djinn. He put you here, it can put you back. Your happiness for all those people's lives, no contest. Right?'"

Dean pauses, "But why? Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to be some kind of hero?"

Dean begins to cry while talking, "What about us, huh? What, Mom's not supposed to live her life, Sammy and I aren't supposed to marry Isabeau and have kids? That Isabeau has to hide who she is to us, to protect us? Why do we have to sacrifice everything, Dad?"

He pauses, "It's…" Dean's lips tremble and the sky rumbles as tears begin to fall on Dean's cheek, "Yeah…"

Dean wipes the tears on his cheeks. He turns around and walks away.

* * *

Inside of their house, the sound of drawers opening and items clanging loudly downstairs, wakes Sam up.

* * *

Sam comes down the stairs, quietly, with a bat in his hand. He didn't know if it was Isabeau was coming back or Dean, but he knew that they would both would've announced their presence if they did.

Sam stops in the doorway, leaning looking into the living room. He sees someone is in one of the cabinets.

Sam goes in, swinging, the person gets up and counterattacks, throwing him on the floor. Sam looks up in surprise to see that it's Dean.

Dean breathes out, "That was so easy, I'm embarrassed for you."

"Dean? What the hell are you doing?" Sam asks him.

Dean gets up, letting Sam get up off the floor. They stand in front of the window.

"I was looking for a beer." Dean jokes.

Sam furrows his brow, "In our china cabinet?"

Sam goes to turn on the light and sees a box of utensils on the floor, open, "Dean, what are you looking for?"

"Sam." Dean warns.

"What are you doing? Where the hell did you go?" Sam asks again.

Dean sighs, "Well I was looking for silver, but it seems like we don't own any."

"Silver?" Sam questions, "Why do you need silver?"

Dean shifts, "You want the truth?"

Sam nods, "Yeah, yeah I do."

Dean tries to think of something but then sees a sliver of light pouring from the door that Isabeau made sure was locked. He narrows his eyes and chuckles, "No way."

Sam shakes his head, confused as Dean pulls out a lockpick from his pocket and starts picking at the door to the basement.

"W-what, Dean! That's Isabeau's private room. She doesn't want us to go in there." Sam reminds him.

Dean doesn't stop lock picking, "Yeah? You ever wonder why? What's she hiding?" He asks.

"Well, yeah." Sam says quietly, "But that's no excuse. Isabeau is entitled to some privacy."

Dean successfully unlocks the door and opens it up wide, "Right now, privacy be damned. People's lives are in danger and I think she'll understand."

Dean makes his way down the stairs, the familiar smile of herbs filling his nose, making him smile. His smile widens when he comes to the bottom of the stairs, "I knew it."

"Dean, you can't just… what in the world." Sam trails off as he makes his way to his brother, staring in awe at the items in the basement. Every surface was covered in grimoires, herbs hanging from the ceiling, selves covered in ingredients, anything and everything that had to do with witchcraft was in the room.

Sprinkled throughout the basement were lore books filled with monsters, weapons of all kinds were scattered about and Dean walks over when he sees Isabeau's favorite weapons; her two machetes.

"She still hunts. She's still a hybrid." Dean whispers out.

Sam's eyes dart in every direction, taking everything in, "What is all the stuff?" He looks over at his brother who is patting a grimoire with affection, "Hunting? Hybrid? Dean, what's going on?"

Dean licks his lips and catches what he was looking for; a silver knife and a couple jars of lamb's blood on one of the shelves, "Isabeau hunts monsters, Sammy."

He grabs the items and places them on an empty space of a table, "And she's a hybrid; half witch, half elemental. She can control fire and lightning… though things could be a little different."

He then frowns, "She hid this from us. She never wanted us to know."

Dean shakes his head, "I gotta go. Stay here and… next time you see mom, tell her I love her."

"Dean." Sam says, worried.

Dean picks up his things and makes his way up the stairs, "I'll see you, Sammy."

He walks out the door, taking one last look at the basement and Sam.

Sam stands in the basement where Dean left him, confused.

* * *

Dean is sitting in his impala with the engine going, thinking. Suddenly the passenger door opens and Sam gets in the car.

"Get out of the car." Dean orders him.

"I'm going with you." Sam says firmly.

"You're just gonna slow me down."

"Tough." Sam says defiantly.

"This is dangerous and you could get hurt." Dean shouts.

Sam nods, "Yeah, and so could you, Dean."

"Sam—"

Sam interrupts him, "Look, whatever stupid thing you're about to do, you're not doing it alone. And that's that."

Dean shakes his head, "I don't understand. Why you doing this?"

Sam sighs, "Because you're my brother."

Dean stares at him, "Bitch."

Sam shakes his head, "W–hat are you calling me a bitch for?"

"You're supposed to say 'jerk'." Dean tells him.

"What?"

"Never mind." Dean puts the impala in gear and they drive off.

* * *

As they're driving, Sam looks down at a bag on the seat between them. Sam sighs, "What's in the bag?"

"Nothin'." Dean immediately answers.

"Nothin'?" Sam questions.

"Yeah, nothin'." Dean confirms.

"Fine." Sam grabs the bag and begins to open it.

Dean glances over, "You don't wanna do that."

"Oh, really?" Sam dares. He takes out what was in the bag. It's the container of lamb's blood Dean grabbed from the basement. Sam continues, looking at the container, "What the hell is this?"

"Blood." Dean simply states.

"Yeah, I can see that it's blood, Dean! What the hell is it doing in here?" Sam asks, upset.

"You don't really wanna know." Dean says.

Sam nods, "No I-I do really wanna know. I really, really, do."

"Yeah, well you're gonna find out sooner or later. I needed a silver knife dipped in lamb's blood." Dean explains.

"You needed a silver knife dipped in lamb's blood, why?" Sam asks.

"Because there's this creature. A Djinn. And I have to hunt it." Dean says.

"Okay, um... stop the car." Sam says.

"I know how it sounds."

Sam purses his lips, "Great. Just... stop the car."

Dean continues, "It's the truth, Sam. All right, there are things out there in the dark. There – there – there are bad things. There are nightmare things. And people have to be saved and if we don't save them, then nobody will."

Sam nods, "Look, I wanna help you, all right. I-I really, really do, but you're having some kind of psychotic breakdown, so, I ... just –"

Dean scoffs, "I wish."

Sam picks up his phone and starts dialing a number. Dean rolls down his window, grabs Sam's phone, throws it out, and then rolls up the window again.

Sam looks at him in disbelief, "What the hell was that, Dean? That was my phone!"

"I'm not going to a rubber room, Sammy. And we got work to do… God damn, I wish Isabeau were here. She'd understand." Dean groans.

"What? I was just trying to help you out, Dean. I don't, I don't want you to get yourself hurt." Sam exclaims.

"What? You protect me?"

"Yeah!"

Dean laughs, "Oh, that's hilarious. Why don't you just sit tight and try not to get us both killed."

Dean starts the radio and music blares out.

* * *

The impala drives up between the old factories, and the car stops.

Dean looks over at Sam who is asleep. He picks up his flashlight and shines it on Sam's face.

Sam wakes with a start, "Where are we?"

"Well, we're not in Kansas anymore." Dean chuckles at Sam. When there's no reaction the smile dies, "Illinois."

"And you think something's in there?" Sam questions.

"I know it is." Dean says confidently.

* * *

Dean and Sam are walking through the factory, the flashlight in Dean's hand.

"See?" Sam scoffs, "There's nothing here, Dean."

Dean starts walking down the hallway, same way as last time when he got attacked. Sam closely follows behind, "Look, Isabeau's gotta be worried sick about us, Dean. Come on, let- let's just go."

Dean hears a sound and shushes Sam, "Shh!"

There's another sound, a high-pitched whimper, and Sam finally starts to take it seriously, "What the hell is that?"

Dean glances back at him, "Stay behind me and keep your mouth shut."

Dean and Sam approach a larger room where there's bodies hanging from the ceiling. The same bodies Dean saw in his closet earlier.

There's also a drained blood bag hanging next to one of the bodies. "What the hell?" Sam says, staring at it.

Dean looks further to the right, and sees the woman he has been seeing everywhere, hanging like the bodies.

They approach her and see another blood bag next to her, filled with blood. Her eyes are open, but she looks close to dead, "It's her." Dean realizes.

Sam looks at the bag and at her wrists that are tied, just like the others. She begins to moan and whimper.

"Dean, what's going on?" Sam asks fearfully.

Dean grabs him, "Shh!"

The Djinn is coming out. When it comes out from behind a wall and walks up behind the woman, the guys are gone.

The woman sobs, "Where's my dad?"

She cries, "I won't tell…" She looks at the Djinn, "Don't."

She moves her feet away from the Djinn while Dean and Sam are hidden, watching on.

She cries more, "Where's my dad."

The Djinn touches her face, "Sleep."

Some blue flares go over her cheek as he strokes her. The Djinn's eyes glow bright blue, "Sleep. ... Sleep."

Her head falls forward, eyes still open and her feet relax, falling forward again. The Djinn rests his face against her arms, touching her right arm and breathing heavily, eyes closed. He then goes for the blood bag, pulls out one straw and puts it to his mouth, drinking her blood.

Sam sees this and gags in disgust.

The Djinn hears, and turns around right away; its eyes flash blue and he begins to move towards their hiding place. When he gets there, the guys are gone.

* * *

The Djinn walks up some creaky steps and Sam and Dean are standing below them, looking up, following his steps. When a door closes in the background Sam begins to breathe loudly, "This is real? You're not crazy?"

Dean thinks out loud, "She didn't know where she was. She thought she was with her father."

* * *

Dean and Sam walk up to the woman again. "What if that's what the Djinn does? It doesn't grant you a wish, it just makes you think it has." Dean says.

"Look man. That thing could come back, all right?" Sam grabs at Dean's arm, begging to leave.

Dean walks past Sam in the opposite direction of the woman. He looks up at a light bulb and it starts to flicker in brighter light.

Dean starts to see flashes of himself, hanging by his wrists like the woman. Dean starts to gag, little trouble breathing, probably shocked from starting to realize what's going on.

"Dean, please." Sam begs.

Dean breathes heavily, "What if I'm like her? What if I'm tied up in here some place? What if all this is in my head?"

Dean walks up to the woman, "I mean it could, you know, maybe it gives us some kind of supernatural acid, and then just feeds on us slow."

Sam shakes his head, "No. Dean, that doesn't make sense. OK?"

"What if that's why she keeps appearing to me? She's not a spirit. It's - it's like more and more like I'm catching flashes of reality. You know, like I'm in here somewhere, and I'm - I'm catatonic, and I'm taking all this stuff in but I, but I can't snap out of it." Dean reasons.

Sam nods, "Yeah, OK, look. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. I was wrong. You're not crazy but we – we – we need to get out of here. Fast."

He starts to pull Dean with him. Dean pulls his arm loose from Sam. Sam looks at him and throws his arms out like 'what?'.

"I don't think you're real." Dean says.

Sam, agitated, sucks in a breath, "Dude, you feel that?" He's grabbing Dean by the arms, "You feel this? I'm real. This is not an acid trip. I'm real, Isabeau's back home waiting for us, pregnant with our children, she's real and that thing is gonna come down here and kill us for real. Now, please—"

"There's one way to be sure." Dean pulls out the silver knife.

Sam backs off, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?"

"It's an old wives' tale. If you're about to die in a dream, you wake up." Dean explains.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's crazy. All right?"

"Maybe." Dean says with a determined look.

Sam starts walking towards Dean, "You're gonna kill yourself—" Dean holds out the knife and his other hand to stop him. "OK." Sam stops.

"Or I'm gonna wake up. One or the other."

Sam raises his hands, "OK. This isn't a dream, all right. I'm here, with you, now. And you're about to kill yourself, Dean."

Dean swallows, "No, I'm pretty sure. Like, 90% sure. But I'm sure enough."

He turns the knife on himself, takes both his hands to the handle, ready to thrust it into himself.

"WAIT!" Sam shouts.

Suddenly Mary walks up next to Dean, in the same nightgown that she died in. Behind Sam, Isabeau appears.

"Why'd you have to keep digging?" Sam asks, disappointed.

Dean looks back at Mary as Sam continues, "Why couldn't you have left well enough alone?" Dean looks around.

"You were happy." Sam says.

Mary comes up in front of Dean, "Put the knife down, honey."

"You're not real." Dean has tears in his eyes, "None of it is."

Mary shakes her head, "It doesn't matter. It's still better than anything you had."

"What?"

Mary continues, "It's everything you want. We're a family again. Let's go home."

Dean shakes his head, "I'll die." His voice breaks, "The Djinn'll... drain the life out of me in a couple of days."

"But in here, with us, it'll feel like years. Like a lifetime." Mary says. Dean looks over at Sam who half-smiles and nods to him.

"I promise." Mary takes his chin in her hand, and he looks down on her, "No more pain." She strokes his cheek, "Or fear. Just love and comfort. And safety. Dean, stay with us."

Mary strokes his other cheek and he leans into her hand, closing his eyes, "Get some rest."

Isabeau smiles at him, "You don't have to worry about Sam anymore." Dean looks over at her.

Isabeau sighs, "You get to watch him live a full life."

Mary steps away, to let Isabeau walk up to him, taking his face in her hands, kissing him, "We can all have a future together. Have our own family. I love you, Dean. Please. Don't you want that? For us to be married? To have a bunch of children?"

Sam walks up to him, "Why is it our job to save everyone? Haven't we done enough?" He echoes what Dean said earlier, "I'm begging you." He breathes in, "Give me the knife."

Dean looks at Isabeau, Sam, and Mary with tears in his eyes. Then he backs away looking at the floor. He raises his head, looking at Sam and Isabeau.

Dean inhales and whispers, "I'm sorry."

He thrusts the knife into himself, and blood immediately comes out of his mouth.

"DEAN! DEAN! Dean." Sam's and Isabeau screams echo out.

Sam and Isabeau walk up to Dean and sees now that the Sam and Isabeau saying "Dean" is the real Sam and Isabeau.

Dean is hanging from the ceiling like the other woman, eyes open. A blood bag hangs next to him.

"Oh God. Come on." Sam shakes him, "Hey. Wake up. Wake up, damn it!"

Dean grunts a little. His eyes begin to focus on his brother and girlfriend.

"Hey. Hey." Isabeau coos, placing a hand on his cheek. Ava stands behind the two, watching them try to wake Dean.

Dean smiles a little, "Ahh... Auntie Em. There's no place like home."

The three of them let out a sigh of relief, "Thank God. I thought we lost you for a second." Sam pulls out the tube in Dean's throat.

"You almost did." Dean flinches as Sam takes out the tube.

"Oh god." Isabeau breathes heavily, "Let's get you down."

Isabeau reaches up and starts to cut through the rope as Dean winces over the pain and grunts a little.

There are two bright blue eyes next to Sam in the shadows, and the Djinn comes out.

Dean sees the Djinn, "GUYS!" He warns the three of them.

Ava turns around, going to the Djinn with her own knife, "Get him down and get the hell out of here." Ava shouts.

Isabeau hands the knife to Sam, "Help Dean."

"Beau!" Sam shouts as Isabeau charges in to help Ava, her eyes glowing a fiery blue; she was pissed.

The Djinn has Ava for a moment, and gets her to drop the knife. Isabeau flings her arm, making the Djinn fly across the room. She stomps over to the Djinn, growling as her eyes glow brighter, "You're dead."

The Djinn gets back up and takes a swing at Isabeau, the two of them falling into a fight. Ava grabs her knife and runs into the fight, helping Isabeau against the Djinn.

Sam is able to cut Dean down, the two of them watching as both girls fight the Djinn. They both move in the fight like it's a dance, each of them knows each other's moves and working in tangent.

The Djinn gets the upper hand on Isabeau and Ava; punching Ava, sending her to the ground, her vision fuzzy and manages to hold Isabeau by the throat, causing her eyes to no longer glow as the Djinn tightens his hand.

The Djinn's other hand is glowing blue, and he is moving it toward Isabeau's forehead, but Isabeau struggles, pushing against his wrist and trying to stop him. The Djinn opens his fist and blue light begins to appear around his hand.

When its hand is almost at Isabeau's forehead Ava thrusts the knife into the back of the Djinn, turns it and the blue light goes out of its eyes. It closes its eyes, its head rolls down, and when Ava pulls out the knife, it falls to the ground dead.

Isabeau breathes heavily from being strangled, "Nice timing." She coughs out.

Ava chuckles and shrugs, "It's a gift."

Isabeau looks over and then jogs over to her boyfriends, wrapping her arms around Dean immediately. Dean doesn't look too good, pale and with red-rimmed eyes. Dean sighs and returns the action, content to see his Isabeau.

* * *

Dean walks up to the girl. He puts his hand to her neck, feeling for a pulse. A tear rolls down one of her cheeks, "She's still alive!" He looks over at the others, "Guys…"

Dean pulls out the tube in her neck as Ava cuts her rope with her knife. Dean catches her as she goes down.

The others watch on as Dean holds her, "I gotcha. I gotcha. We're gonna get you out of here, OK? I gotcha." She makes small wheezing sounds.

"I got you." Dean reassures.

* * *

Dean is sitting on the edge of a hotel bed, as Ava kneels behind him, her hands placed on his forehead, her eyes glowing blue and her tattoos glowing as well.

As Ava does that, Isabeau sits across from Dean in a chair that she pulled up from the sitting area. She holds on tightly to his hands as Ava checks to see if the Djinn's effects are still lingering.

Dean's eyes glance down to her hands, her multiple rings still adorning them and no diamond rings on any of her fingers. They then land on her stomach, staring at it deep in thought.

Off to the side, Sam is on the phone, "OK, uh, thank you so much for the update. OK, bye." He hangs up.

Sam walks up to them, taking a seat on the bed next to Dean, "That was the hospital. Girl's been stabilized. Good chance she's gonna pull through."

"That's good." Dean says, not tearing his gaze away from Isabeau's stomach.

"Yeah." Sam pauses, exchanging a look with Isabeau, "How 'bout you? You all right?" He asks.

Dean clears throat, tightening his grip on Isabeau's hands, "Yeah, I'm all right." He pauses, "Am I good, Ava?"

Ava's eyes and tattoos stop glowing, "Everything checks out. Just eat something. The Djinn took a decent amount of blood, you'll feel groggy for a couple of hours, but you should be fine." Ava explains and hops off the bed.

Isabeau nods, squeezing Dean's hands, "I'm gonna walk Ava out, okay? I'll only be a minute."

Dean nods, breaking his gaze on her stomach and lovingly places a kiss on her fingers, and let's go.

Isabeau gestures with her head to Ava towards the door and the two women leave the motel room, leaving Sam and Dean on their own.

Dean shakes his head, "You should have seen it, Sam. Our lives. You were such a wussy." He jokes.

Sam chuckles at his joke.

Dean licks his lips, "We married Isabeau."

Sam stares at his brother, "What? W-We married Isabeau?"

Dean chuckled, nodding, "Yeah... she was pregnant."

Sam inhales sharply, glancing over at the door and turning back, "Seriously?"

"Twins, Sammy. She was going to have twins." Dean explains, "But, it wasn't the Isabeau we grew up with. We didn't know about her supernatural life."

Sam furrows his brow, "We never knew the real Isabeau? Her being a hybrid, her parents... her coven?"

Dean shakes his head, "None of it. She kept it a secret."

Sam couldn't imagine not knowing the real Isabeau, "I thought it was supposed to, to be this perfect fantasy."

Dean shakes his head, "It wasn't. It was just a wish. I wished for Mom to live. That Mom never died, we never went hunting and you and me just… we had Isabeau, but not the real her."

Sam nods, "Yeah. Well, I'm glad we do. And I'm glad you dug yourself out, Dean. Most people wouldn't've had the strength, would have just stayed."

"Yeah... Lucky me. I gotta tell you though, man. You know… married our girl. Mom was gonna have grandkids…" Dean trails off, standing up and sitting on one of the dressers.

"Yeah, but... Dean... it wasn't real." Sam reminds him.

"I know. But I wanted to stay." Dean looks sad, lost, "I wanted to stay so bad. I mean, ever since Dad... all I c– all I can think about is how much this job's cost us." He pauses, "We've lost so much. We've... sacrificed so much."

"But people are alive because of you." Sam says and Dean scoffs.

Sam continues, "It's worth it, Dean. It is. It's not fair, and... you know, it hurts like hell, but... it's worth it."

Dean looks at his brother, then down again, sadly, pensively.

Sam sighs, "You know, it's not like we're never going to do it."

Dean looks up, "Do what?"

Sam smiles, "Marry her? I don't know about you, Dean, but… one day, I want to do it. Make Isabeau my wife… _our_ wife."

Dean thinks about it, "I want to, Sammy. I want so badly to put a ring on her finger. But, when would we get the chance? When is the time going to be right?"

Sam shrugs, "We'll know when we know."

Dean nods, " _We'll know when we know."_

* * *

Isabeau stares deeply into Dean's green eyes, lightly tracing her finger along his freckles the best she could in the darkness, "So, we were all married?" She asks, shifting the covers to cover up her naked body.

Sam was on the other side of her, one arm draped around Isabeau's waist and his bare body pressing up against her from behind, his little snores filling the quiet motel room.

Dean hums, "Sam and I proposed when Sam got accepted to Stanford. Got married and had a house of our own in Lawrence."

Isabeau smiles sadly, "Seems like a dream… I never told you guys what I was?"

Dean shakes his head, "You hid it from us. All of it."

He watches as Isabeau moves her hand down from his freckles to cupping his cheek, "Well that was a stupid move on my part. So that's why you fought it?"

Dean nods, grabbing her arms and kissing her hand and the rosary that was wrapped around her wrist, "I wanted the real you. The witchcraft, your fire… I wanted it all."

Isabeau's eyes soften, "You sure know how to make a woman's heart melt, Dearie."

Dean smiles, pulling her closer, "I want to do it one day." He stares down at their hands, "Put a ring on your finger."

Isabeau's breath hitches, "Dean…"

"I know that it's only been a year since we made our relationship official, and I know that right now is not the best time to get married, but I want you to know that I want it in the future. So does, Sam. We want to make you ours." Dean explains.

Isabeau tightens her grip of Dean's hand, smiling, "In the future… that's something I'm looking forward to."

Dean chuckles, pressing his forehead against hers, "It can't come any faster."

Isabeau grins, "Though, I will warn you. It might be me going down on one knee for the both of you."

Dean blinks, "Really?"

Isabeau bites back a smirk, "Really."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the late update, things have been a little crazy. Trying to keep up with assignments and busting a couple of art pieces per week is sort of killing me a bit. But, I finally got back to this, I've been slowly writing this and I'm so happy I got it done. I rewrote a lot of this episode and I'm pretty proud of it.
> 
> I will say, be on the lookout, cause by the end of this week, it'll be a wrap on Season 2: Till Death Do Us Part. I will be posting All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.1 and Pt.2 together because they are sort enough that they each can have their own chapters. I am excited, I have it all planned out and season 3 is going to be a doozy.
> 
> Feedback is my motivation.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


	45. Author Note, The Future of This Series and Sneak Peek

Hello everyone! Let me just say that I'm sorry for updating this story with an author note. I typically don't like these myself but I thought I would just inform you guys on what's going on and why it's taking so long for me to finish season 2 of this series. 

Unfortunately for the past month or so, I fell back into my depression and was mentally not in a safe place. Being at college this semester has been... terrifying, to say the least. Things aren't going the way I hoped. Dorming on campus to use the studios for my classes helps, but it's difficult as well when most of my studio art classes and academics are fully online. I am very much an in-person learner. I get flustered from multiple emails and announcements and then my anxiety shoots up and then I fall behind. 

I haven't been happy with my artwork and not proud of what I'm putting out. At this point, it's just getting a piece down half-assed and that's not what I want. 

The same goes for this series and why I haven't updated it. I want to give you guys a good ending to season 2 and have been working on it in whatever free time I have which, unfortunately, is not a lot. 

I will say that I am halfway done with "All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.1". It's taking me a while to figure out the path I want to go, which is again, why this is taking so long. Not only do I want you guys to like how I end it, but I also want it to be satisfying for myself. 

And because of Covid affecting the school year, especially since cases are going up again and it looks like more classes are going to be online, I've decided to take a personal leave for the spring semester in 2021. 

This means I'll be home from Thanksgiving this year until Fall 2021. I'm doing this for many different reasons; mental health, personal setbacks, needing a job to pay for schooling, and more. 

And from this, a good portion of my time can come back to this series and really get the ball rolling. I am hoping to complete season 2 sometime, a week or two before Christmas. It's my goal, in general, to finish season 2 and start season 3 by the end of the year. Again, the reason for this is I have school online for the first week or two of December so my mind is going to be focused on my finals and critiques for my pieces. 

But, I will be happily jumping back in when school has ended, granted I will be working full-time, so updates will be a little slower than the summer when I first started. But, they will be most likely weekly updates. 

I just wanted to inform you guys on this, I didn't want anyone to think I abandoned this series, far from it. I love this series and I am so happy to see you guys loving it and seeing your comments and words of encouragement keep me going. 

Before I end this, this is a general message that I'm putting out there. I know that this time in the world is... difficult, terrifying, stressful, and much more. We just went through an election that had me, my family, and friends terrified for the outcome and I know that so many people went through the same thing. You know, I'm not a political person, I don't talk about politics because I know I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to say anything about it. 

But not only that, Covid itself has thrown us all for a loop and we're all having to adjust of what could be our new "normal". I know we're all hoping that with in the next few years we can no longer wear the masks because it's safe, that we can go out to concerts and be with large groups of friends. I know that this is a difficult time for everyone and no matter who you are; a student, a full-time worker, a parent or anyone, take the time to take care of yourself. 

Take care of yourself mentally, emotionally and physically. If you need to take a break, take that break. You are important and being safe is important in every sense. 

I know this was way longer than I thought this would be, but I really hope you guys are looking forward to the end of season 2 and the start of season 3 this winter. 

Everyone stay safe, be healthy in every sense and I love you guys.

Thank you. 

*Also here is a sneak peek at the beginning of "All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.1"*

* * *

Outside of a cafe named, “Sunnyside Diner’, the impala pulls up and parks into one of the parking spaces.

Isabeau smiles happily in between her two boyfriends, looking up at Sam as he reaches down to place a slow, sensual kiss on her lips. She smiles into their kiss, grabbing a fistful of Sam’s jacket. 

Dean looks over with a faint smile and shakes his head, “Okay, break it up you two.” 

Isabeau and Sam pull away as Dean rifles through his wallet. Dean sends a wink Isabeau’s way as he pulls out some money. 

Ever since the three of them had a talk about the idea of one day getting married, Isabeau had been a little giddy. Though marriage would be far into the future, the thought of it sent her into a happy mindset. 

“Hey, don’t forget the extra onions this time, huh?” Dean says and hands Sam some money.

Isabeau grimaces at the ‘extra onions’ and Sam sighs, “Dude, we’re the ones who's gonna have to ride in the car with your extra onions.” 

Isabeau nods agreeing with Sam. Dean grins at them as they get out of the car, sighing.

Dean leans over to tell them one more thing, “Hey, see if they’ve got any pie.” 

Glaring, Sam shuts the door and Isabeau waves to him. 

“Bring me some pie!” Dean calls out again and Isabeau responds with a thumbs up while Sam hooks an arm around her waist. 

“I love me some pie.” Dean says to himself, turning up the song on the radio. 

Dean watches Sam and Isabeau go into the café, and talk to the waiter. Suddenly, Dean’s car radio becomes staticy. Dean glances down and fiddles with it, but it turns off completely. When Dean looks back up, the inside of the café is empty. No waiter, no Sam or Isabeau.

Dean runs into the café. Country music is playing and one customer at a booth is dead, face down in a puddle of blood.

Dean draws his gun, “Sam? Isabeau?” 

Dean paces forward and looks around. He finds that the employees are also dead, with their throats slit.

Dean opens the back door and looks around outside, “Sam?! Isabeau?!” 

Dean then notices something on the door, “Sulfur.” 

He races back out the front door, heading back to the car, “Sam! Sammy! Beau!” 

There’s no response, “Sammy! Beau!” 

Still no response, “SAM! BEAU!” 


End file.
